The removal of the Senator representing Borno South senatorial district, Ali Ndume, as the Majority Whip of the National Assembly seemed to be the perfect punishment.
But for former vice president Atiku Abubakar, it was just the National Assembly allowing themselves to be used as puppets by President Tinubu.
This appears to be the highlight of Atiku’s comment while reacting to the removal of Senator Ndume.
However, a careful look at Atiku’s statement on X captures more interesting points.
This drama started last week.
As Nigerians tried hard to navigate through the hardship, Senator Ndume dropped a bombshell.
According to him, the President was unaware of what was happening outside the Villa.
Ndume said that Tinubu had been fenced off and caged.
As punishment, Ndume was stripped of his position on Tuesday, during a plenary session.
He was replaced by Borno North Senator, Mohammed Tahir Monguno.
3 Things Atiku Said About Tinubu’s Government
Atiku reacted to the ongoing drama via a statement on X on Thursday.
Interest Of The Masses
He faulted the highhandedness of the executive arm of the government in attempting to use the legislature against the interest of the masses.
He said: “In the evolution of systems of government, a major concern for thinkers was a governmental framework that will reduce the highhandedness of the executive arm of government.
“It was thought, and rightly so too, that a participatory approach to governance, such that will make the government derive its legitimacy from the people will better serve the interest of the masses.
“And thus, to make sure that the executive does not go overboard in the application of its powers, the legislative arm of government was conceived.
This was a means of protecting the people from the authoritarian tendencies of wielders of state powers.
National Assembly Becoming Puppet In The Hands Of The President
Atiku asserted that the democracy under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu has become an anathema to the general principle of democracy.
He noted that the National Assembly is gradually becoming a puppet in Tinubu’s hands as regards taking a reverse course in its function.
Also Read: Ndume: How National Assembly Is Becoming A Puppet In Tinubu’s Hands – Atiku
“Regrettably, however, the democracy in Nigeria in the current administration of President Bola Tinubu has become an anathema to that general principle of democracy as providing primary protection for the people against executive excesses.
“This ugly tendency is being manifested by the steady posturing of our National Assembly, especially the Senate, of taking a reverse course in its core function and becoming a puppet in the hands of the President.
“It is uncharitable that whenever members of the Senate stand on the floor of the red chamber to perform their statutory duty of calling the executive to order, they are immediately reprimanded for so doing.
Budget Padding
Atiku wasted no time in reminding Nigerians of the fact that Ndume is the second high ranking senator to criticise the present government.
He recounted how Senator Ningi called out the Tinubu administration for padding the 2024 budget.
In his words: “When Senator Abdul Ningi called attention of the country to the incident of budget padding in the 2024 Appropriation bill, rather than calling for a thorough investigation into the observation, the reaction of the Senate was to hand him a suspension.
Today, the people of Nigeria are victims of ambiguous budget framework upon which appropriations for the current fiscal year are hinged in the face of multiplicity of appropriations.”
