Tinubu’s aides hijacking presidency with lies — Ndume

The lawmaker representing Borno South at the national assembly, Senator Ali Ndume has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of being hijacked by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats.”

Ndume claimed that some members of the president’s inner circle are dishonest, incompetent, and working against the best interests of the country.

He said this while speaking on Channels Television on Sunday.

Senator Ndume accused some top aides of misleading President Tinubu and contributing to a decline in the administration’s public image and rating.

He noted that these aides are not only out of touch with the needs of ordinary Nigerians but are also making important decisions that do not reflect the president’s original vision.

“I see people lying and telling the president what he wants to hear,” the Borno South senator said. “My position is that the people who are supposed to help him are the ones deceiving him or damaging his image.

“They are unrealistic people. I said it before, and I’m not changing my position until they change or the president does something,” he stated.

“Kakistocrats are people holding positions they are not supposed to be in, while kleptocrats are those in politics for personal gain, not public service.”

Though he declined to name specific individuals, Ndume warned that the consequences of their actions are already manifesting across the country.

He also pinpointed a disconnect between President Tinubu and everyday Nigerians, especially in light of the current economic hardship.

According to him, Tinubu is shielded from the daily realities of the public and receives filtered information that downplays the level of suffering among citizens.

“The president cannot go out to the streets like I do and know how the people feel,” he said. “Even outside the villa, they would drive him in tinted glass so he doesn’t even see what is going on. People are not happy, and the president himself is not pretending. He acknowledges there is hardship and has asked Nigerians to be patient.”

Ndume urged the president to pay more attention to lawmakers and public servants with grassroots access, stressing that valuable intelligence often comes from those closest to the ground.

“It is the people like us who represent the public that should be listened to. Intelligence should come from those who are close to the ground. Things are very bad in the country,” he warned.

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