Senate Chief Whip Alleges President Tinubu is Being Misled by Presidential Villa Insiders.
Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is being misled by individuals within the Presidential Villa, who are feeding him false information and preventing him from engaging with Nigerians who can provide truthful insights.
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume reacted to a Senate resolution urging the federal government to address the nation's hunger crisis or face public outrage.
Ndume, who co-sponsored a motion on food insecurity and market exploitation with Senator Sunday Karimi, expressed concerns over the government's inadequate response to Nigeria's security challenges, which exacerbate food scarcity issues.
"Mr. President is not aware 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," Ndume said. He criticized the lack of effective communication from the presidency, noting that President Tinubu is only represented by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
"Nigerians are getting very, very angry. The government is not addressing the food scarcity crisis, and it needs to act urgently. We don’t have food reserves. The unavailability of food is the worst crisis any nation can face, and combined with security issues, it will be severe," Ndume warned.
He urged President Tinubu to "wake up" and break free from the influence of "plutocrats" who are isolating him. "He should open his doors and meet those who will tell him the truth. 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 also for myself."
Ndume also expressed disappointment with stakeholders' failure to address the herders' menace, which has further complicated the food scarcity situation. He emphasized the urgent need for decisive action to mitigate these issues and prevent a worsening crisis.
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politics