He lamented that the government's closed-door policy was a significant barrier, with even ministers and members of the National Assembly struggling to engage with the President.
Senator Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Senate, has raised serious concerns over Nigeria's escalating cost of living and the looming food scarcity crisis, highlighting the challenges faced even by ministers seeking to meet with President Bola Tinubu for discussions.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume criticised the Nigerian government's failure to effectively address these pressing issues.
He lamented that the government's closed-door policy was a significant barrier, with even ministers and members of the National Assembly struggling to engage with the President.
"The closed-door policy of the government is a major obstacle. Even ministers and lawmakers find it difficult to have meaningful discussions with the President," Ndume stated, echoing widespread frustration among legislators and their constituents.
Ndume's remarks came following his introduction of a motion alongside Senator Sunday Steve Karimi aimed at addressing the country's food crisis.
Citing a warning from the World Food Programme predicting that 82million Nigerians could face food insecurity within the next five years, Ndume emphasized the urgency of the situation.
"Our objective is to urgently draw the government's attention to the severity of this food crisis affecting countless Nigerians," Ndume stressed.
"We urgently need the President's intervention on both the soaring cost of living and food shortages," Ndume urged.
Ndume also drew distressing parallels with Niger Republic and South Sudan, where children are dying due to hunger.
"We have witnessed these tragedies elsewhere and are beginning to see similar signs in Nigeria," he added.
Despite assurances from the government, Ndume expressed disappointment at the lack of concrete action taken to mitigate the crisis. "We implore the government to work with experts and stakeholders to find immediate solutions," he urged.
Ndume's urgent appeal underscores growing apprehension within Nigeria over the escalating cost of living and dwindling food supplies, calling for decisive governmental action to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis.
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