The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has said President Bola Tinubu’s success as Lagos governor was largely due to his ability to surround himself with capable and seasoned individuals.
The lawmaker made the remarks on Wednesday while appearing on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television.
“The president had good people around him when he was the governor of Lagos; that was why he succeeded,” Ndume said.
“Most of the good people are not there… they have been sidelined.”
Ndume faulted some members of the president’s current team, describing them as detached from the country’s political and social realities.
“He just picked people that don’t know anybody,” he said.
“They only know Ikoyi and Victoria Island, and from there they fly to London or America, where their families are living.”
According to the senator, such advisers lack a deep understanding of Nigerian politics.
“So they are not even full Nigerians,” Ndume said.
“These people don’t know politics.”
Ndume said while Tinubu is positioning himself for re-election, he must first confront widespread dissatisfaction, especially in the north.
“Mr President, I think, as a politician, as somebody who has gone through it all, is strategising to win the election, but not to declare himself as the winner,” he said.
“Because you only do that when you are acceptable to the people.”
The former senate leader dismissed claims that there is no agitation in the north.
“In the north, anybody that tells you that the north is not grumbling now is not speaking the truth,” he said.
When asked how serious the dissatisfaction was, Ndume said it would manifest clearly during elections.
“It will be loud in their votes if nothing is done about it,” he said.
He noted, however, that the president still has time to address the situation.
“The good thing about it, as I have said here before, is that the president can change things, can turn things around,” he said.
Ndume disclosed that northern elders had previously engaged the president to express their concerns.
“I was part of the meeting that we had — the first and the last meeting — with Mr President, where northern elders went to him,” he said.
He added that Tinubu had pledged to maintain continuous dialogue with northern political leaders.
“We had a wonderful session, and he promised that that will continue, and it never happened,” he added.