2027: Tinubu needs stronger hands around him — Ndume

By Tolulope Oke

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Tinubu to strengthen the team around him, arguing that some of the administration’s recent difficulties could have been avoided with more capable hands in key positions.

Ndume made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News while assessing the Tinubu administration, its policy direction and the quality of support available to the President.

The senator said Tinubu had shown willingness to confront difficult national problems and had taken decisions that previous administrations avoided, but argued that the effectiveness of those policies depended heavily on the people charged with implementing them.

“My concern remains that the President has so many kakistocrats dominating the presidency. Unless he does something about it, they will continue to mess him up,” Ndume said.

He cited recent controversies within government as examples of what he described as avoidable embarrassment, including the discovery of a fake government agency and the suspension of a permanent secretary following an investigation.

Ndume, however, credited Tinubu for acting after the matter came to light.

“That is where I give the President credit, but I insist that if he had capable hands, all this mess and embarrassment wouldn’t be happening,” he said.

The APC senator also criticised the manner in which some presidential aides respond to public criticism, arguing that government spokespersons should focus more on policies and facts rather than personalities.

“We are saying that the staff or people he has around him are the major problem,” Ndume said.

“When anybody makes a statement, the President’s spokespersons rush on TV to insult the person and call them names. That is not it. You take the points that person made about the system one after the other.”

Despite his concerns, Ndume said Tinubu deserved credit for confronting difficult economic issues, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy.

He acknowledged that the decision had created hardship for many Nigerians but said the President had also recognised the pain and repeatedly assured citizens that the reforms would eventually yield results.

“The President himself acknowledged that there is hardship as a result of the policies, but promised Nigerians that there will be light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

Ndume urged the APC to devote more energy to explaining the government’s policies and their expected benefits instead of engaging in political attacks.

He similarly advised opposition parties to challenge the administration with clear alternative policies rather than concentrating on personalities.

“My advice to the opposition is to focus on the policies and performance of the government, put down your alternative policy agenda, and convince Nigerians that it is workable,” he said.