Borno lawmaker and chief whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has alleged that there is a cabal in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Ndume stated this while reacting to the suspension of Dr Betta Edu, minister of the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Ministry, on Monday.
Ndume commended President Tinubu for suspending Edu over alleged financial misappropriation of over N500 million.
The senator advised President Tinubu to flush out what he described as the “emerging political cartel” and warned that it may be worse than a cabal if unchecked.
Ndume said the alleged fraud committed by the suspended minister may not be isolated.
He warned that if unchecked, the emerging political cartel may destabilise the administration of the President.
He maintained that for Tinubu to succeed and deliver on his Renewed Hope Agenda, some tough decisions must be taken and some elements curtailed within the administration.
He noted that the prompt suspension of Edu is a confirmation that Tinubu is serious about tackling corruption and eliminating waste within the administration.
Ndume said the move will restore confidence in his government and Nigerians will begin to take his administration seriously.
“What President Tinubu has done is very timely. The suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs is a welcome development. It will allow the relevant agencies to conduct a proper investigation,” Ndume said.
He continued: “Some people in the same position Tinubu is would not have acted. But as a leader who is in charge, he acted swiftly and the minister has been suspended. We should commend the President. This is something Nigerians should commend.
“But the president should not stop there. There is an emerging political cartel within the corridors of power. The President must act swiftly and dismantle the cartel.
“If they’re not stopped, they’ll be stronger and worse than the cabal. The President must not allow that to happen. I don’t think what the minister did was an isolated case. I don’t think she acted alone.
“The president needs to look deep and flush out those involved in mismanaging the funds meant for humanitarian assistance. We’re hopeful that the President will take more decisive actions in the future.”
Ndume has called on Tinubu to revisit the issue of motivation of security agents in the country, especially members of the Armed Forces.
He said the president needed to equip, empower and motivate security agents to enable them to carry out their responsibilities decisively.
