Focus on your core mandates, Ndume charges CBN

Senator representing Borno South and Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume has maintained his stance that the relocation of certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria to Lagos was wrong and not done in good faith.

The principal officer of the Senate restated his conviction in a press statement on Thursday.

His remarks have courted him criticisms from certain Nigerians who accused him of promoting the interest of the North as against the corporate interest of the country.

The lawmaker was also accused of trying to shield his daughter, a staff of the CBN who could be moved from her comfort zone in Abuja to Lagos.

Senator Ndume said the blackmail that he was trying to shield his daughter and also promoting section interest would not stop him from speaking truth to power.

The lawmaker called on the Governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso, to focus on stabilising the monetary situation in the country, especially the spiraling exchange rate and the rising inflation, rather than dwelling on relocation of departments to an already-populated Lagos.

Ndume further clarified that he doesn’t speak for the North, nor Northern senators, but in the interest of Nigerians and President Tinubu whom he has enormous respect for.

His statement reads in part: “I stand by what I’ve said about the relocation of FAAN and some departments of the CBN to Lagos . If it is about decongestion, Lagos is not the right place. There are CBN offices in all the states of the Federation. Why move the departments to Lagos that is already populated?

“Since my intervention, people have been using a particular newspaper to attack me and say that I hate the Yorubas. They’re ignorant and they don’t know what they’re saying.

“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.

“I’ve been the one pleading with her to remain there. She’s almost done with her PhD and she wants to go to the classroom as a lecturer. She’s a brilliant lady.

“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.”