Bwala Mocks Ndume, Says Natasha Outshines Him Despite Short Senate Term..
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, has taken a swipe at Borno South Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, comparing his 22-year legislative track record unfavorably to that of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Bwala claimed that Natasha’s achievements in less than two years in the Senate have already surpassed Ndume’s accomplishments over two decades in the National Assembly.
Bwala accused Ndume of never successfully sponsoring a bill, refuting the Senator’s long-standing claim of having sponsored the bill that established the North-East Development Commission (NEDC). He insisted that the credit for the NEDC bill actually belongs to former Senator Murtala Nyako.Highlighting Ndume’s role as a former Majority Leader and chairman of key defence-related committees, Bwala criticized his inaction on the plight of displaced constituents from Southern Borno.“This is a man who has spent 22 years in the legislature—four in the House of Representatives and about 16 in the Senate—yet over 120,000 of his people remain internally displaced in Cameroon,” Bwala said. “Despite huge allocations for constituency projects in Southern Borno, there’s nothing tangible to show for it.”
He further claimed that 90% of Ndume’s bills never made it past the second reading and were routinely dismissed without debate.When the interview host, Seun Okinbaloye, pointed out evidence of Ndume visiting his constituency and interacting with constituents, Bwala replied dismissively: “Is visiting people now considered a project? Funds were allocated for real development. Even the boreholes he claims to have drilled are dry.”Bwala also questioned Ndume’s political credibility, suggesting that his repeated electoral victories are due more to state influence than grassroots support. He noted that Ndume had never won a primary election and was once even stoned in his hometown during the 2023 elections.“He doesn’t use his platform to advocate for the return of his displaced constituents in Cameroon,” Bwala added. “Instead of hiding behind the governor during visits, he should be urging the president to intervene.”