Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern that the national assembly is becoming an “enabler of executive recklessness.”
In a post on X on Thursday, Abubakar criticized the removal of Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South, from his position as the Senate Chief Whip. On Wednesday, Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno North, replaced Ndume following a request by Abdullahi Ganduje, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Ajibola Basiru, the party’s national secretary.
Ndume has been outspoken about the government, recently accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of being filled with kleptocrats. Responding to Ndume’s ousting, Abubakar alleged that the Tinubu-led administration is suppressing dissent.
“In the evolution of government systems, a major concern was to create a framework that limits the executive’s highhandedness,” Abubakar wrote. “A participatory approach to governance that derives its legitimacy from the people serves the masses better. The legislative arm was conceived to protect the people from the executive’s authoritarian tendencies.
“Regrettably, Nigeria’s democracy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration contradicts this principle. The National Assembly, especially the Senate, is becoming a puppet of the President, abandoning its core function.
“It is troubling that whenever senators perform their duty of calling the executive to order, they face immediate reprimand. When Senator Abdul Ningi highlighted budget padding in the 2024 Appropriation bill, instead of investigating, the Senate suspended him.
“Senator Ali Ndume recently urged the President to address the hunger and poverty plaguing the country. The Senate’s response was to remove him from his role as Chief Whip.
“Despite appeals to prioritize alleviating the hardship faced by Nigerians and halt the purchase of new aircraft for the presidential fleet, the Senate ignored these pleas, approving controversial purchases amidst widespread poverty.
“We are witnessing a pattern where the National Assembly enables executive recklessness, placing the concerns of the people at the bottom of their priority list. This must stop.”
Abubakar warned that the nation’s democracy is being compromised by an “unholy alliance” between the executive and the legislature, leading to a dictatorship that will worsen conditions for the people.
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