Senator Ali Ndume, has replied critics of his recent comments on the planned relocation of the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and some departments at the Central Bank of Nigeria from Abuja to Lagos.
He said it would be unpatriotic not to tell President Bola Tinubu the truth about the happenings in the country.
Ndume said he did not speak on behalf of the Northern Senators or the Senate but as a Northerner in support of the majority of Northerners and some Nigerians who were against the action of thre CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo.
“With all due respect, I did not speak on behalf of the Northern Senators or the Senate but as a Northerner in support of the majority of Northerners and some Nigerians who are against the action of CBN Governor and the Minister of Aviation.
“A famous former American President said, patriotism means to stand by the country.’ It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country.
“It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.
“In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else. To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”He, therefore, claimed that, “What I said is my personal opinion and position.”
He did not criticize. He was seeking political retribution for what he perceived as anti North even if it was good for the economy and the country. The area champion whose true interest was me, myself and I.