Former Senate Chief Whip Senator Ali Ndume has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of being taken over by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats”, saying that individuals around the president are causing more harm than good.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, Ndume did not mince words when he said that key members in Tinubu’s inner circle are motivated by self-interest and ineptitude.
Ndume stated, “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 Borno South lawmaker 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 asked 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 declining to identify anyone, Ndume stressed that the harm is both evident and terrible.
The senator also criticised the distance between the presidency and ordinary Nigerians, claiming that the administration appeared to be unaware of the severe hardship that residents across the country are experiencing as a result of economic policies.
Ndume lamented, “The president cannot go out to the streets like I do 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 called on 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 recent outburst joins an increasing list of internal critiques levelled at the Tinubu administration, as concerns increase over economic challenges and alleged governance shortcomings nearly a year into his presidency.
