…urges apex bank to focus on monetary stability, inflation
By Tunde Opalana
Explaining why he moved against proposed plans by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to relocate some departments of the apex bank from its headquarters in Abuja to Lagos, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, has said he has no regrets for his criticism.
Ndume, representing Borno South senatorial districts in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly had recently kicked against the plan when it was revealed.
In a statement issues in Abuja Thursday, he explained that his intervention was based on the obvious irrelevance for the decision by the management of the CBN.
He said as a senator, he has the right to make certain interventions, without being the mouthpiece of certain groups or section of the country.
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Ndume said he doesn’t speak for the North, nor Northern senators, but in the interest of Nigerians and President Tinubu who he has enormous respect for.
The lawmaker said his intervention on a national issue shouldn’t be linked with the fact his daughter works in the Central Bank.
He said he was not moved by attack on a section of the media on his personality questioning the credentials of his daughter who is a staff of the CBN.
Ndume said being a lawmaker does not disenfranchise his daughter and children to work in any government agency as long as they meet the requirements and have the needed credentials to be employed.
He said the subtle blackmail will not stop or deter him from pointing out lapses in government, saying it was his own way of assisting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in succeeding.
He said he’ll never be deterred from speaking truth to power whenever those saddled with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the country err.
The lawmaker challenged those attacking him and claiming that he harbours ill-feelings against the Yorubas to show their pan-Nigerian credentials, revealing that his two daughters are married to Yoruba men and have both given him five Yoruba grandchildren.
He, however, admonished the CBN governor to focus on stabilising the monetary situation in the country, especially the spiraling exchange rate and the rising inflation, rather than dwelling on relocation of departments to an already-populated Lagos State.
Senator 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 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’ve 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.
“President Tinubu is my friend and he knows that I support him 100%. 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.”
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