The All Progressive Congress (APC) has criticized Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the Senate, for his remarks suggesting that President Bola Tinubu is “caged,” calling it “unhelpful attention-seeking media posturing.”
In a statement on Saturday, APC spokesperson Felix Morka said, “Ndume’s heedless comments smack of an indulgent sense of entitlement to see the president on a whim.”
Background
On July 10, Ndume alleged that President Tinubu had closed his doors to some ministers and members of the National Assembly.
“The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the president,” Ndume said. “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.”
On July 12, in an interview with Arise TV, Ndume claimed it has become difficult to get an appointment with Tinubu because the president is being “shielded from reality” by some of his appointees.
“If you know the president before now, you would know that the whole scenario has changed,” Ndume said. “But now, if you go to the front of the villa, it’s like a graveyard because they don’t allow anybody to go and see Mr. President.”
### ‘Tinubu is Busy Working for Nigerians’
The APC spokesperson countered Ndume’s claims, stating that he has various platforms to voice his concerns about national issues rather than making “outlandish declarations.”
“As a senator of the Federal Republic, Ndume has the platform of the National Assembly to raise and address matters that he may consider to be in the national interest. He also has access to the entire machinery of the federal government of Nigeria. Senator Ndume did not explain the use to which he has put these enormous access in seeking solutions to concerns that he may have,” the statement read.
“It is understandable if Senator Ndume feels frustrated by his suggested inability to access the President. But that does not warrant or justify his outlandish declaration that the President has been caged in some way or ensconced from the reality of conditions in the country. Senator Ndume’s heedless comments smack of an indulgent sense of entitlement to see the president on a whim.”
Morka emphasized that “the president is busy doing the job for which he was elected by the Nigerian people.”
“He is the head of government, of which there are many critical parts equipped with the power to process and deal with a wide range of simple to complex social, economic, political, or security challenges,” the APC spokesperson said.
“The president’s time is required to be used judiciously in attending to important matters of state.”
Morka detailed recent actions by Tinubu, such as the inauguration of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC) and the launch of the Economic Stabilization Programme aimed at ensuring food security, improved power supply, enhanced social welfare, healthcare, increased energy production, and general economic transformation. He also mentioned Tinubu’s recent meeting with labor leaders on the new minimum wage and his ongoing engagement with citizens and officials.
“In a similar vein, President Tinubu recently signed an Executive Order aimed at reducing the high cost of drugs; approved tax waivers for the importation of some food items in a bid to crash prices and ensure food sufficiency; and directed the Armed Forces to combat and defeat resurgent acts of terror, among many other important engagements that speak eloquently to his command of the situation in the country,” Morka added.
Morka urged Ndume to exercise restraint and refrain from “unhelpful attention-seeking media posturing,” emphasizing that the country needs everyone’s efforts to achieve national transformation for the benefit of the people.
Source : Punch