8th February, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
The Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has dismissed claims of hating Yoruba people following his stance against relocating some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Federal Airport Authority, FAAN, from Abuja to Lagos State.
According to Ndume, he cannot harbour hatred for the Yoruba nation because two of his daughters are married to men from the Southwest and five children among them.
He lamented that his person had been subjected to media attacks due to his intervention, stressing that subtle blackmail will not deter him from pointing out lapses in government.
A statement by Ndume reads partly: “My two daughters are married to Yoruba men, one from Lagos State and the other from Kwara State. And I’ve five grandchildren who are Yoruba. How can I hate them and allow my daughters to marry them? Those saying I hate the Yorubas, how many of their sons and daughters are married to Hausas or Northerners? I’m a true Nigerian.
“They’ve also been questioning the fact that my daughter works at the CBN. They should check her records. She’s a Nigerian and she’s qualified to work anywhere, including the CBN.
“Instead of these attacks on my person, the CBN should do its job and address the rising inflation and stabilising our exchange rates. They should leave me alone.
“President Tinubu is my friend and he knows that I support him 100%. He appreciates honest feedbacks and will not tolerate what these people around him who are becoming a political cartel are doing.
“I’ll continue to speak the truth and point out areas where corrections are needed. That’s my job as a senator. It is not personal at all.”