The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has said he has no regrets criticising the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to relocate some of its departments from its headquarters in Abuja to Lagos State.
The lawmaker said his intervention in the relocation of the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to Abuja was also based on the reality.
The CBN and the FAAN recently announced the relocation of some departments from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to Lagos.
In response to this, Ndume had on a national television expressed his displeasure to such steps saying that such decisions would have negative consequences on President Bola Tinubu’s future political ambition.
He also stated that the President was being misguided by people he called ‘Lagos Boys.”
Delving further into the issue, the Borno South senator on Thursday said since his intervention, some elements had been using a section of the media to attack his personality and question the credentials of his daughter who is a staff of the CBN.
He said while he is a lawmaker, his daughter and children were qualified to work in any government agency as long as they had the needed credentials.
He said the subtle blackmail will not stop or deter him from pointing out lapses in government, saying it was his way of assisting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in succeeding. Related News ‘Inflation, exchange rate will influence 2024 banks’ performance’ Ndume defends criticism of CBN offices relocation, denies tribal motives United Capital backs CBN on stakeholder collaborations
Ndume said, “I stand by what I’ve said about the relocation of FAAN and some departments of the CBN to Lagos State. If it is about decongestion, Lagos is not the right place. There are CBN offices in all the states of the federation. Why move the departments to Lagos that is already populated?
“Since my intervention, people have been using a particular newspaper to attack me and saying that I hate the Yorubas. They’re ignorant and they don’t know what they’re saying.
“My two daughters are married to Yoruba men, one from Lagos State and the other from Kwara State. And I have five grandchildren who are Yoruba. How can I hate them and allow my daughters to marry them? Those saying I hate the Yorubas, how many of their sons and daughters are married to Hausas or northerners? I’m a true Nigerian.
“They’ve also been questioning the fact that my daughter works at the CBN. They should check her records. She’s a Nigerian and she’s qualified to work anywhere, including the CBN.
“I’ve been the one pleading with her to remain there. She’s almost done with her PhD and she wants to go to the classroom as a lecturer. She’s a brilliant lady.
“Instead of these attacks on my person, the CBN should do its job and address the rising inflation and stabilising our exchange rates. They should leave me alone.”
Ndume described President Bola Tinubu as his friend, saying, “He knows that I support him 100 per cent. He appreciates honest feedbacks and will not tolerate what these people around him, who are becoming a political cartel, are doing.”
“I’ll continue to speak the truth and point out areas where corrections are needed. That’s my job as a senator. It is not personal at all,” he said.