A former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of being overtaken by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats,” warning that those surrounding the president are doing more harm than good.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, Ndume did not mince words as he declared that key figures in Tinubu’s inner circle are driven by self-interest and gross incompetence.
Ndume said, “I see people lying and telling the president what he wants to hear.
“My position is that the people who are supposed to help him are the ones deceiving him or damaging his image.”
The senator, who represents Borno South, lamented that rather than acting as a support system, Tinubu’s aides have effectively “kidnapped” the presidency.
“They are unrealistic people. I said it before and I’m not changing my position until they change or the president does something. I still believe the government is more or less dominated by kleptocrats and even kakistocrats.”
When quizzed on the meaning of the terms, Ndume explained: “Kakistocrats are people holding positions they are not supposed to be in, while kleptocrats are those in politics for personal gain, not public service.”
While refusing to name individuals, Ndume insisted that the damage being done is both visible and severe.
The senator also criticised the disconnect between the presidency and ordinary Nigerians, saying the administration appears oblivious to the intense hardship being faced by citizens across the country as a result of economic policies.
Ndume lamented,
“The president cannot go out to the streets like myself and know how the people feel. Even outside the villa, they would drive him in tinted glass so he doesn’t even see what is going on.
“People are not happy, and the president himself is not pretending. He acknowledges there is hardship and has asked Nigerians to be patient.”
Ndume urged President Tinubu to pay closer attention to feedback from lawmakers and officials with grassroots connections, warning that relying on a detached circle could deepen the crisis.
“It is the people like us that represent the public that should be listened to. Intelligence should come from those who are close to the ground. Things are very bad in the country,” he said.
Ndume’s latest outburst adds to a growing list of internal criticisms facing the Tinubu administration, as frustrations mount over economic difficulties and perceived governance failures nearly a year into his presidency.
