Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has countered claims of hating Yorubas following his condemnation of Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) plan to relocate some departments of the apex bank from its headquarters in Abuja to Lagos State.
Addressing newsmen over the claim, Ndume said he kicked against the decision because it was irrelevant.
The Borno federal lawmaker who asked those attacking him and claiming that he harbours ill-feelings against the Yorubas to show their pan-Nigerian credentials, stated that the CBN governor should focus on stabilising the exchange rate in the country, especially the spiraling exchange rate and the rising inflation.
Ndume also stated that while some people have been questioning the credentials of his daughter who is a staff of the CBN, it won’t stop nor deter him from pointing out lapses in the current government as it is his own way of assisting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed.
The Chief Whip of the Senate said;
“I stand by what I’ve said about the relocation of FAAN and some departments of the CBN to Lagos State. 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 been using a particular newspaper to attack me and saying 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.”