Presidency warns Ndume over ‘reckless’ TV comments

The presidency has issued a stern warning to Mohammed Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, over what it described as reckless and baseless remarks made on national television.

Ndume, a former chief whip of the senate, had alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had been hijacked by a cabal, claiming that it was now dominated by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats”.

Reacting to the claims, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the lawmaker was acting like a “lone-wolf opposition” within the All Progressives Congress (APC), and accused him of consistently peddling falsehoods.

“Ndume is entitled to his opinion, as a lone-wolf opposition within the APC, though he most often gets his facts wrong or builds his thesis on a specious, faulty foundation.

“Like he lied about General Buratai being ambushed by terrorists. A ranking senator making reckless statement on TV cannot command the respect of any right-thinking person,” Onanuga said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Onanuga described Ndume’s comments as unsubstantiated and careless, particularly his claim that kleptocrats and kakistocrats are in control of the federal government.

His words: “His allegation that kleptocrats and kakistocrats dominate the government is just too sweeping. And he made it without providing any scintilla of proof.

“Kakistocrats? Does he know the word’s meaning, or does he just like bandying terms?”

He maintained that Tinubu’s administration is populated by competent individuals, many of whom had already built strong reputations before taking up roles in government.

He said: “This president has many competent aides, many of whom were accomplished professionals before coming to work for the government.

“And they are doing a damn good job, reengineering the country’s economy to ensure it is put on a solid foundation for sustainable growth.”