Senator Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately dismantle and curtail the excesses of what he described as an emerging political cartel, which, according to him, may be worse than a cabal if unchecked.
The Borno South senator, who made the call on Monday during a chat with journalists from Saudi Arabia, where he is currently observing the Hajj, commended Tinubu for acting fast by suspending the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
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Ndume who noted that the alleged fraud committed by the suspended Minister may not be isolated, however, warned that if unchecked, the emerging political cartel may destabilise the administration of President Tinubu.
“Some people in the same position Tinubu is would not have acted. But as a leader who is in charge, he acted swiftly and the minister has been suspended. We should commend the President. This is something Nigerians should commend,” Ndume said.
“But the President should not stop there. There is an emerging political cartel within the corridors of power. The President must act swiftly and dismantle the cartel.
“If they’re not stopped, they’ll be stronger and worse than the cabal. The President must not allow that to happen. I don’t think what the Minister did was an isolated case. I don’t think she acted alone.
“The President needs to look deep and flush out those involved in mismanaging the funds meant for humanitarian assistance. We’re hopeful that the President will take more decisive actions in the future.
“What President Tinubu has done is very timely. The suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs is a welcome development. It will allow the relevant agencies to conduct a proper investigation,” he added.