Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume has accused some officials in the Presidential Villa of demanding bribes from those seeking to meet President Bola Tinubu, including top government figures.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, the Borno South senator expressed anger over what he described as a corrupt inner circle that has made access to the President difficult for many senior officials.
Ndume said only a few privileged individuals can reach the President directly, while others must go through middlemen who allegedly request money before granting access. “I don’t have access to the President. The only time I see him is when he attends public events,” he said. “The system is run by kakistocrats — people who are least qualified or most corrupt. If you want to see the President, they’ll ask how much you’re ready to pay.”
He added that his written requests to discuss pressing national issues had been ignored by presidential aides, describing their actions as deliberate obstruction. “I wrote to them seeking a meeting with the President over financial concerns, but they kept tossing me around as if I needed divine intervention first,” he said.
The allegations have fueled concerns about growing isolation around the Presidency and a widening communication gap between the President and key political stakeholders.
The Presidency has yet to issue a response to Ndume’s claims.
