Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has issued a scathing critique of the current administration, accusing the Akpabio-led Senate of enabling President Bola Tinubu’s “recklessness” and compromising the health of Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement released yesterday, Abubakar lamented that the legislative arm of government, conceived to protect the people from executive excesses, has instead become a puppet of the President. “This emerging reality must stop. The health of our democracy is being compromised by this unholy alliance,” he stated.
Abubakar pointed to several incidents as evidence of the Senate’s failure to hold the executive accountable. He highlighted the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi after he raised concerns about budget-padding in the 2024 Appropriation Bill, and the removal of Senator Ali Ndume from his position as Chief Whip following his criticism of the President’s handling of hunger and poverty in the country.
Moreover, Abubakar criticised the Senate’s decision to approve the purchase of a new aircraft and a yacht for the presidential fleet, despite widespread hardship and poverty among the populace. He argued that these actions reflect a troubling pattern of the legislature prioritising the interests of the executive over those of the people.
“The people of Nigeria are victims of ambiguous budget frameworks and a legislature that stands against their interests. We are beginning to see a pattern in which the National Assembly has become an enabler of executive recklessness”, he stated.
Abubakar’s statement underscores his concern that the alliance between the executive and legislative branches threatens to erode democratic principles and move the country towards dictatorship.
