Ali Ndume: Leopard never changes its spots, by Kola Amzat

In an interview recently granted by Senator Ali Ndume within the complex of the National Assembly Complex, he made sweeping allegations against the president that the ex-Lagos State governor has been caged by certain forces who he refused to mention.

He also alleged that the president is less concerned on the issue bothering on security of the nation, poverty, and hunger, as well as other pressing issues.  

He further submitted that the president has rendered himself incommunicado to Ministers and members of National Assembly who are always willing to discuss pressing issues with him.

The submission of this writer is that Ali Ndume is the Chief Whip of the upper chamber. This exalted office makes him part and parcel of the national assembly leadership.

In hierarchy, the senate president, deputy senate president, majority leader, deputy majority leader and even, minority leaders ranked ahead of him.

It’s in a rare occasion that a senator or group of senators seek audience with the president. This happens sparingly in a situation of urgent national importance.

Most of the matters meant for the president are channeled through the leadership of the chamber.

In any case, the president must be a superman to be engaging and interfacing with 109 Senators and 366 House of Reps on individual, coupled with overseeing the affairs of the nation of more than 220 million population and 36 governors, including FCT Minister and even other cabinet ministers, as well as issues emanating from the global community.         

The question Nigerians need to ask the distinguished senator is that, was his allegation the position of the national assembly leadership?

Obviously No! This is a National Assembly that have forged incredible relationship with the presidency since the new dispensation started in May 2023.   

Without doubt, his ranting gave him away as a Senator with knack for grandstanding, as well as a political leader seeking undue and undeserved attention.

Meanwhile, Ali Ndume is an APC Senator representing Bornu South senatorial diatricts. Of course, he’s from the same state as Vice President, Senator Kassim Shettima. So, it’s assumed that he’s close to the Vice president, having been in the same upper chamber with him for four years. Indeed, the Senator Shettima was even governor of Bornu state during the first term of Ali Ndume at the upper chamber.

There is no doubt that the V/president is very close to the president. Even, if the Borno senator doesn’t have easy access to the president, is  anything stopping him from interacting with the V/president on state matters if the matter is pressing and so compelling that it probably deserves urgent attention?

Nigerians can make their deductions that the Senator has crossed line by unduly attacking the president. 

On his allegations that the president has been caged by certain forces, the Senator must be day-dreaming. Does this president looks like a figure that could be caged?

Who amongst the president’s aides has the temerity and effrontery to cage him? Secretary to the government of the federation, Chief of Staff, Private Personal Secretary or who else?

Its crystal clear the senator is not in tune with the reality.

The senator is encouraged to enquire deeply about our president, who have penchant for mixing up with any groups day and night to be briefed on various issues on-going around the country.

So, his allegations that the president is not receiving right information from the populace is meant for dustbin.

It must interest the senator that the president could disguise and sneak to FCT, Abuja merriment centers during the night for the purpose of getting information of what government is doing right and what they’re doing wrong.

And, if the senator cares to know, the president has field men & women all over the nation briefing him on various issues, including pedestrian ones. 

I also encourage the senator to interact with Lagosians with a view to be remaining conversant with president life style, which is not hidden, anyway.

His submission that the president is indifferent to insecurity, hunger in the land, poverty and other pressing issues is most uncharitable, unbecoming, wicked and could only come from the envious and jealous and less discerning mind.

As a member of upper chamber, Ali Ndume must have been aware, except he is pretending, that over ₦1 trillion of the 2024 Appropriation Bill was dedicated to Defense Ministry for the purpose of battling militancy, insurgency, bandits and other criminalities ravaging the country.

Would a president who is in indifferent to insecurity allowed this humongous sum for a ministry?

Does he aware that president receives briefing almost every week from National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who has been charged to continually collaborate with all the Service Chiefs, as well as Minister of Defense to bring the insecurity situation across country under  control?

Does the Borno Senator aware of many War Aircrafts and Drones acquired, and other war ammunitions in recent times with billions of Naira purposely to silence insurgency and banditry around the country?

On allegation of hunger and poverty in the land, does Ali Ndume aware of huge allocation of N362. 9 billion appropriated to Agriculture Ministry in 2024 Appropriation Bill?

Does Bornu Senator conscious of the fact that the president a couple of months ago released to each of the 36 governors ₦5 billion each as palliatives to battle hunger in the states across the federation?

Does Ali Ndume aware of several billions disbursed on monthly basis to the downtrodden at the grass roots from Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Ministry to combat poverty in the land?

And, except the Senator is under the influence of pretense, is he not conscious of the fact that Tinubu administration inherited a dead economy, a fall out of indiscretion and effrontery of Godwin Emefiele led CBN that was continually printing trillions of Naira on monthly basis without having regards that the money in circulation were not backed by productive activities?

This is parlous economy bequeathed on the present administration, which the president and his team have been battling to normalize with the monetary and fiscal policies.

At this juncture, it’s important to remind Nigerians that Senator Ndume is just trying to be himself. Since he came to the senate, he’s been incongruous, incorrigible and inveterate.

Nigerians would recall that he was one of the senators who encouraged and supported Bukola Saraki to emerge as senate president in 2019 against the party directive.

If not for the fact that, he was comprehensively checked and put under control, he wanted to truncate the emergence of Senator Akpabio as senate president in this new dispensation.

The submission of this writer is that, Senator Ali Ndume belongs to upper chamber; it’s incumbent on the senate leadership to tame him and control his excesses and overzealousness, otherwise, his attitudes and indiscretion is capable of pitching the national assembly with the presidency.

I figure that suspending him from senate for about three months to serve as deterrent would do.

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB),

Lagos based Financial Consultants,

09077509348          

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