President Bola Tinubu cannot solve Nigeria’s multifaceted challenges alone and should engage more people with practical ideas to address the country’s security and economic problems, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has said.
Mr Ndume spoke with State House correspondents after a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, where he said they held extensive discussions on insecurity, economic hardship and governance.
The former Senate Chief Whip said he requested the meeting with Tinubu to share his thoughts on the country’s pressing challenges, adding that the president welcomed the engagement and encouraged more regular consultations.
“I actually sought the audience, and I was immediately granted it. The president was also looking forward to meeting with me,” Mr Ndume said.
“We used to have this interaction before, but somehow it stopped. Now, the interaction has resumed.”
He said the meeting was productive and focused on finding solutions to Nigeria’s complex problems.
“Normally, when I come here, it is to offer my ideas as a Nigerian on how to help solve some of the many and complex problems facing this country.
“We had a very fruitful and useful discussion, and the president even insisted that we should do this regularly, not necessarily in the office where people are always rushing in and out, but in a more relaxed setting, perhaps at his residence, so we can think together about how to solve some of these problems,” he said.
Mr Ndume stressed that the president needed broader consultation and should not be left to shoulder the nation’s challenges alone.
“He needs people who can share ideas with him because, as the saying goes, two heads are better than one. You have your ideas; I have mine. When we put them together, we can come up with solutions,” he said.
According to him, insecurity and the nation’s economic difficulties dominated discussions during the meeting.
“That is exactly what we discussed today, particularly on insecurity, which is troubling the country, and on the economic hardship, which is a global issue caused by certain factors. We discussed how best to address these challenges,” he said.
Mr Ndume said he left the meeting convinced that the president had listened to his concerns.
“I feel fulfilled because I have spoken my mind, and the president is also aware that many people, myself included, are not comfortable with the current situation,” he said.
The senator also advised Tinubu to communicate more directly with Nigerians rather than relying on aides and government officials.
“That is what I told Mr President: he should reach out more. I also advised him, and he promised to look into it, to speak directly to Nigerians,” Mr Ndume said.
“People expect their leader to tell them what is going on, instead of allowing others to speak on his behalf. It has been a while since he has spoken directly to Nigerians, and that is very important.”
On security, Ndume said the president’s commitment was evident from his meeting with the nation’s service chiefs before receiving him.
“Even today, I had to wait because my appointment was for 3 p.m., but there was a security meeting. As you can see, the service chiefs came in, which shows that the president is taking the matter seriously,” he said.
He said sustained military operations were mounting pressure on bandits and terrorists across the country.
“There has been a lot of pressure recently on bandits in the North-West, the North-East and elsewhere.
“Some of their leaders have been taken out, and some of their commanders surrendered yesterday. If this momentum is sustained, we are confident that the problem will eventually end,” he said.
Mr Ndume, however, urged the government to complement security efforts with measures aimed at easing the hardship facing ordinary Nigerians by tackling the rising cost of petrol, food and transportation.
He also maintained that security forces should adopt a firm approach against terrorists.
“I have said this before. You don’t spare a bandit or a terrorist. Once you identify a terrorist, you should deal with him because if you don’t kill him, he will kill you. So, there is nothing to argue about there,” he said.