The lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the senate, Senator Karimi Sunday, has described Ndume’s position on the relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority, from Abuja, the Nationa’s capital, to Lagos, as “personal and does not in any way represent a position taken by the Senate.”
Sunday, who made this known in Abuja, while reacting to Ndume’s condemnation of the relocation decision, said it was needless to attach ethnic or other sentiments to the relocation of the offices, which he said, was done for cohesion and better delivery of services.
Ndume who condemned the relocation plans while speaking during an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, alleged that a group of powerful persons (Lagos boys) around the seat of power, was responsible for the President’s decision, warning President Tinubu of the political consequences.
Ndume said “Some of them think that they know better than everybody. But, they don’t know anything.
“When you don’t know Nigeria, you only know Lagos, then you start doing things as if Nigeria is Lagos. Lagos is in Nigeria. That’s a wrong decision.”
Reacting, Sunday said “Readers need to avoid utterances that will heat the polity and cause division and disaffection amongst the federating units of the country.
“For example, the headquarters of 96 per cent of all banks in Nigeria is in Lagos. The staff of the Banking and Supervision Department of the Central Bank often travel to Lagos to check their books at the headquarters. it will therefore save cost to have that directorate in Lagos.
“Also, Lagos remains the hub of aviation in Nigeria; for operational efficiency, it is better to have FAAN in Lagos.
“What is important to our people in the North and Nigerians as a whole is how decisions of government will affect their lives positively and put food on their table at cheaper prices.
“They are not bothered by any ethnic sentiments on the relocation of offices of federal ministries and agencies.
“Senator Ndume’s position is personal and doesn’t represent the position of the Nigerian Senate.”