Senators differ on return of CBN, FAAN offices to Lagos
• Karimi tackles Ndume, says he spoke for himself • INC gives condition to support relocation
YESTERDAY’S call by Senate Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume ( Borno South), on President Bola Tinubu to stop the relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos, has been disputed by his colleague in the Northern Senators Forum ( NSF), Sunday Karimi ( Kogi West).
Recall that Ndume, in a Channels Television interview, on Tuesday, had warned Tinubu that there would be political consequences for his action, claiming that the President was being misled by a cartel of ‘ Lagos Boys.’
The latest reaction came from Senator Karimi, who described Ndume’s position as “personal and does not in any way represent a position taken by the Senate.”
Karimi pointing out, yesterday, that it was needless attaching ethnic or other sentiments to the relocation of the offices, which, according to him, was done for cohesion and better delivery of services.
He stated: “Leaders need to avoid utterances that will heat up the polity and cause division and disaffection among the federating units of the country. For example, the headquarters of 96 per cent of all banks in Nigeria are in Lagos. Staff of the Banking and Supervision Department of CBN 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 rates. They are not to be bothered by any ethnic sentiment on the relocation of offices of federal ministries and agencies. Ndume's position is personal and does not represent the position of the Senate.”
During NSF’S last meeting, where the issue was raised, the members had urged caution on taking a hasty position, calling for full investigation before any intervention, including legal processes, would be explored.
Ndume had alleged that powerful Lagos boys around the seat of government were responsible for the President’s decision, warning of consequences the President might not be able to reverse whenever they began to unfold.
MEANWHILE, the Ija w National Congress ( INC) has said it will support the President on the relocation, if the President also directs all the International Oil Companies ( IOCS) to relocate their headquarters to their operational base.
Spokesman for INC, Ezenobi Oyakemeaagbegha, yesterday, demanded that Nigerian Agip Oil Company ( NAOC) be directed to immediately relocate their headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and other multinational oil companies to immediately relo - cate to their respective operational headquarters in the Niger Delta region.