The Presidency has responded sharply to claims made by Mohammed Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unaware of events occurring outside the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Ndume, representing Borno South senatorial district, made these remarks during a press conference on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Ndume voiced his frustration over the administration’s perceived inaction in addressing the nation’s ongoing security issues. He attributed public dissatisfaction to the government’s failure to effectively tackle poverty, insecurity, and hunger, which have severely impacted Nigeria.
In a swift response, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, criticized Ndume’s comments in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. Ajayi described Ndume as having a “horrible reputation for being a loose cannon and careless talker,” accusing him of only remembering the poor when his personal agendas are not met.
Ajayi dismissed Ndume’s allegations that President Tinubu is unaware of Nigerians’ struggles as baseless, emphasizing that the President receives daily briefings on the country’s challenges. “Senator Ali Ndume has a horrible reputation for being a loose cannon and careless talker. His capacity for introspection is too low. People like him only remember the poor and the fact that ‘Nigerians are suffering’ when their personal agenda and indulgences can’t be met,” Ajayi wrote.
Ajayi further accused Ndume of neglecting the poor when securing positions for his own children in high-profile institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He stated, “Senator Ndume does not remember the poor and their children when it is time to fix his own children into CBN, NNPC, and other choice MDAs and state-owned enterprises.”
Ajayi asserted that President Tinubu is well-informed about the conditions facing Nigerians and is diligently working to address these issues. “The economy is still facing headwinds but things are gradually turning in the positive direction. A President that gets daily briefings from his team, receives cross-sections of Nigerians from all strata of society almost every day – from business leaders to religious leaders, socio-cultural groups, and professional groups can’t be falsely accused of being removed from the realities of the people,” he added.
