Senator Ali Ndume has openly criticised the Nigerian Senate, accusing it of abandoning its constitutional duty of thorough deliberation and instead acting as a rubber stamp for the executive arm of government.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, the Borno South lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a troubling shift in the balance of power, where legislative independence has been compromised in favour of blind loyalty.
“The government is no longer a government of the people. It has become personalised and privatised,” Ndume declared.
He warned that Nigeria’s democracy is being undermined by a Senate that merely endorses executive proposals without rigorous scrutiny or opposition, weakening the principle of checks and balances essential to a functional democracy.
Ndume also took a swipe at the Tinubu-led administration’s handling of regional diplomacy. He described the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a significant diplomatic failure. According to him, this development marks a setback for regional unity and a blow to Nigeria’s longstanding leadership role within West Africa.
His comments come amid growing public concern over economic hardship, perceived executive overreach, and the declining influence of the National Assembly in shaping national policy.