*Urges President to raise security agents’ emoluments
Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately curtail the excesses of “an emerging political cartel” and warned that it may be worse than a cabal, if unchecked.
The senator commended Tinubu for suspending the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
In a session with journalists, yesterday, Ndume said the fraud allegation against the suspended minister might not be isolated.
He warned that, if unchecked, the emerging political cartel might destabilise the Tinubu administration.
The Borno South senator said that in order for Tinubu to succeed and deliver on his Renewed Hope agenda, some tough decisions must be taken and some elements curtailed within the administration.
He described the prompt suspension of Edu as a confirmation that Tinubu is serious about tackling corruption and eliminating waste within the administration.
Ndume said the move would restore confidence in his government and Nigerians would begin to take his administration seriously.
“What Tinubu has done is very timely. The suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs is a welcome development. It will allow the relevant agencies to conduct proper investigation.
“Some people in the same position Tinubu is would not have acted. But as a leader, who is in charge, he acted swiftly, and the minister has been suspended. We should commend the President. This is something Nigerians should commend,” he said.
The lawmaker urged Tinubu to revisit the issue of motivation of security agents in the country, especially members of the Armed Forces.
According to him, the President needs to equip, empower, and motivate security agents to enable them carry out their responsibilities decisively.
He said soldiers and other members of the Armed Forces fighting insurgency were not well-equipped, motivated, or empowered to fight the war adequately.
Their salaries and other allowances, he argued, are grossly inadequate to motivate them in winning the terrorism war.
Ndume said since Tinubu openly told heads of security agencies that he would not accept failure, he needed to revisit the welfare of men and officers tackling insecurity across the country, especially in the Northeast.
