Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has advised President Bola Tinubu to communicate with Nigerians directly rather than through aides and spokespersons, particularly on matters affecting the economy and security, telling reporters after a closed door meeting with the president that Tinubu promised to consider the suggestion.
I advised him, and he promised to look into it, to speak directly to Nigerians, Ndume said, arguing that citizens expect their leader to tell them what is happening rather than have others speak on the president’s behalf. Ndume, also a former Senate Chief Whip, pointed to the current offensive against bandits as a sign that authorities are finally applying real pressure on the criminal networks that have terrorised communities nationwide, arguing that if the tempo is sustained, the outcome could prove decisive, and said the presence of service chiefs at the State House during his visit underscored how seriously the president is treating the crisis.
Ndume said criminal groups operating across the North West, North East and other parts of the country are now under intense pressure, with some leaders killed and others surrendering to security forces, a pattern he said suggests the crackdown could yield lasting results if sustained. There has been a lot of pressure recently on bandits in the North West, the North East and elsewhere, he said, noting that some of their leaders have been taken out and some commanders surrendered the day before, adding that if this tempo is kept up, the problem will come to an end. He said his own scheduled three o’clock meeting with Tinubu was delayed because the president was in a security meeting with service chiefs, a detail he offered as evidence that the president is sitting up and taking the situation seriously.
