Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in the National Assembly, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s inner circle, alleging that many of the President’s closest aides lack political experience and grassroots connection.

The remarks were made on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.

Ndume said growing dissatisfaction in northern Nigeria could be tied to perceptions about the President’s leadership team.

He suggested that the current political environment under Tinubu lacks the engagement and insight needed to respond effectively to citizen concerns. The lawmaker said northern leaders, including himself, have tried to engage the President constructively but encountered setbacks.

During the broadcast interview, Ndume said the President’s difficulties stem more from the calibre of people around him than from Tinubu personally.

He noted that engagement processes with northern elders stalled after initial discussions, despite assurances that they would continue.

Ndume contrasted the President’s current advisory team with the support Tinubu reportedly had during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

He claimed that, at that time, Tinubu was supported by experienced and capable advisers, which he described as a factor in his achievements then.

The senator also criticised some presidential aides for what he described as an elitist outlook.

He said some members of the President’s inner circle focus on affluent lifestyles in areas such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island, and travel frequently abroad, rather than maintaining strong connections with ordinary Nigerians.

Ndume said: “The President is not the problem; it is the people around the President that are the problem.” He added: “Instead of bringing in his team that would look at him in the face and tell him the truth, he decided to surround himself with people that don’t know politics.”

He also said: “They only know Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and from there they fly to London or America where their families are living. They are not even full Nigerians.”

Ndume’s comments underscore concerns among some lawmakers about political leadership, governance priorities and the quality of policy advice within Nigeria’s federal government.

Such critiques from within the ruling party could have implications for internal APC dynamics as well as broader public perception ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Senator Ali Ndume’s remarks highlight ongoing debates within Nigeria’s political class about leadership effectiveness and the influence of presidential aides.

His critique of President Tinubu’s inner circle reflects wider concerns about political engagement, advisory capacity and grassroots connection in national governance.