President Bola Tinubu Responds to Senate Chief Whip’s Claim
In a heated exchange, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, has hit back at Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, who accused the President of being unaware of the hardships faced by Nigerians.
Ndume, a member of the All Progressives Congress representing Borno South, claimed that the President is "not in the picture of what is happening outside the Villa" and has been "fenced off and caged." He also stated that the President has been silenced and no longer has public affairs managers, except for his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
The Senate Chief Whip urged the Federal Government to find lasting solutions to the rising rate of hunger ravaging the nation, saying, "The government is not doing anything about the food scarcity, and it needs to act urgently. We don’t have food reserves. A food crisis is the worst crisis any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe."
However, Ajayi rejected Ndume’s allegations, calling them "baseless and unfounded." In a statement, the President’s aide emphasized that Tinubu is working tirelessly to address the challenges facing the country. He pointed out that the President receives daily briefings from his team and engages with Nigerians from various sectors, including business leaders, religious leaders, socio-cultural groups, and professional groups.
Ajayi stressed that the economy is still facing difficulties, but things are gradually improving. "A President who gets daily briefings from his team, and receives a cross-section of Nigerians from all strata of the society almost every day – from business leaders to religious leaders, socio-cultural groups and professional groups can’t be falsely accused of being removed from the realities of the people."
The exchange highlights the ongoing political tension in Nigeria, with the President and the Senate Chief Whip engaged in a heated debate over the country’s challenges and the government’s response to them.
