The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is unaware of the current situation outside the Presidential Villa.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, Ndume alleged that the President has been fenced off and caged by certain forces.
Ndume expressed concern over the lack of appreciable action by the President in addressing the security challenges plaguing the country.
He stated that Nigerians are increasingly frustrated by the Tinubu-led government’s perceived failure to tackle poverty, insecurity, hunger, and other pressing issues.
“Mr President is not in the picture of what is happening outside the Villa. He has been fenced off and caged. Many of us won’t go through the backdoor to engage him.
“Now, they have stopped him from talking, and he doesn’t have public affairs managers, except for his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, who writes press statements. Nigerians are getting very angry,” Ndume said.
He also highlighted the urgent need for the government to address food scarcity, warning that the unavailability of food could exacerbate the current crisis.
“The government is not doing anything about the food scarcity, and it needs to act urgently. We don’t have food reserves. A food crisis is the worst crisis any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe,” he said.
Ndume urged the President to become more aware of the realities facing the nation.
“The President should wake up. It seems he isn’t in the picture of what is happening because he has been caged off by plutocrats. He should open his doors and meet those who will tell him the truth,” he added.
He said, “Unfortunately, the people who will tell him the truth won’t struggle to meet him. I am very worried, not only for the President himself but for myself.”
On the issue of the farmer-herder crisis, Ndume criticised stakeholders for not being sincere in addressing the problem, noting that contributions have often been driven by ethnic sentiments.
In an earlier interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, Ndume pointed out that the Federal Government’s inability to address these issues remains a significant challenge.
He further alleged that some ministers are unable to meet with Tinubu to discuss important matters.
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the President, not to mention members of the National Assembly, who do not have the opportunity to meet with him and discuss the issues affecting their constituencies,” Ndume said.
