Stop making derogatory statements against Tinubu, Karimi cautions Ndume

• Says President has made history with financial autonomy for LGs

The Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi has cautioned the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) to “stop behaving like a loosed cannon”.

Karimi, who also belongs the All Progressives Congress (APC) was reacting to what he termed Ndume’s sustained criticism of President Bola Tinubu midweek.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, Senator Ndume alleged that the President has been fenced off and caged by certain forces. Consequently, he said President Tinubu is unaware of the current situation outside the presidential villa, as its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers and national assembly members who wish to offer their good advice, cannot see the President.

Reacting, Karimi said: “Most of his criticisms of the Tinubu administration seems to be borne out of an agenda to run the government down at all costs. Where was he, when the North was in government? He hardly raised his voice to speak up against President Muhammadu Buhari”, he said.

According to Senator Karimi, most of Ndume’s allegations cannot be backed up with any known evidence. Alleging Ndume of the tendency of pull him down syndrome, Karimi said “as an experienced lawmaker who has been in the National Assembly for over 20 years, Senator Ndume ought to know better. Despite having the right to free speech, he should avoid inflammatory statements capable of heating up the polity and tearing the nation apart”.

The Senator representing Kogi West further noted that President Tinubu deserves commendation on the landmark judgment on financial autonomy for local government areas pronounced by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

According to him, Tinubu deserves to be honoured in the nation’s “Hall of Fame” for enabling the judiciary free hand to function, which culminated in such historic adjudication.

Karimi assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would ensure compliance by the various state governments while also taking up the responsibility of amending the constitution to address inherent contentious issues. These include grey areas like the transfer of the responsibility of the conduct of elections to the local councils from the various state electoral bodies to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His words: “I thank Mr President for mustering the courage to do the right thing. Since 1999, the third tier of government literally speaking, has been nonexistent. State governments treated them as appendages of the state governments. No President has been able to change that. But, within one year, however, President Tinubu has returned the local government to the owners-the masses. Local governments, if well operated, will ensure a better existence for our people. President Tinubu took due cognisance of this and courageously took the bull by the horn.”

He noted that the battle is not yet over. According to him: “Some state governors will fight back. President Tinubu allowed the judiciary a free hand to operate in this particular instance, irrespective of the fact that he is but a first term President who may desire a comeback in 2027.”