Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South and previously served as Senate Leader in the 8th National Assembly as well as Chief Whip in the 10th, spoke extensively in an interview with The Nigerian Tribune correspondent, about the country’s security challenges.
Drawing on his experience as a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, he addressed concerns about whether Nigeria can rely solely on its own forces without external military assistance.
When asked about the government’s handling of citizen security and welfare, Ndume suggested that, in his view, the current administration has not prioritized these issues adequately.
He said that if he were President, he would make security and welfare his immediate focus, working closely with all state governors, who he noted now recognize the threats facing their states. He highlighted reports, such as from the World Food Programme, warning that millions could face acute hunger this year due to criminal disruptions to farming.
Ndume argued that the government should temporarily redirect resources—even suspending certain discretionary expenditures—to ensure that security and the well-being of citizens are addressed as the nation’s foremost priorities.
Further talking, he said, “If security is restored, the president will not even need to campaign. Right now, insecurity affects about 30 states; North, West, and South-East. Only the South-West (Oyo, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Ondo) and some parts of the South-South have relative peace.
“For those telling the President otherwise, I see them as his enemies. If you cannot tell the Commander-in-Chief the truth, and you keep blaming unnamed people, that’s unfortunate.” View, More,
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