Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, has declared his intention to take legal action against the $800 million loan sought by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The loan, intended to finance the National Social Safety Network Programme, was presented to the Senate by Buhari.
The loan from the World Bank is aimed at providing relief to the most vulnerable citizens following the removal of petrol subsidies. However, Ndume, in an interview with Trust TV, strongly criticized the loan, labeling it as “unconstitutional and unfair.”
He stated: “I will go to court on that because it is unfair, illegal, and unconstitutional. Let me give you an example: we are two here in the studio, and you say you are going to borrow one million and share it between the two of us. How would you select the recipients? Furthermore, if the burden of repayment falls on the two of us, that is acceptable, but in this case, all Nigerians will have to pay.
“If you randomly give Nigerians ₦4,000 today, how fair is that? It is unconstitutional because the Nigerian constitution does not allow for discrimination.
“These individuals will use their rhetoric to confuse this elderly man (referring to President Buhari), and he will simply approve it. He (Buhari) does not understand these things; they just want to embezzle the funds. We cannot continue to tolerate such practices.
“What they are focused on is what they can gain from it, not what Nigerians can benefit. You can quote me on that. If any of them come to challenge me on TV, I will explain myself. They are misleading the President.”