NASS: Ngige Calls Out Tinubu, Says ‘We’re Mates

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has indirectly warned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop James Faleke, a lawmaker representing Lagos state in the National Assembly to order.

Tinubu is the political godfather of Lagos state.

Ngige must have made the statement in his belief that Faleke got to that position riding on Tinubu’s benevolence.

This is not the first time Ngige will take a jab at a top member of his party.

Recall that he once took to the cleaners, Adams Oshiomhole  the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC after the latter threatened to expel him from the party for allge disrespect for the president.

The medical doctor-turned politician did not just threw the jab against the former Lagos state governor, he did after Faleke, described Ngige, a former Governor of Anambra state a corrupt politician.

Faleke made the accusation when Ngige appeared before the House Ad Hoc Committee on the Arbitrary Breach of Presidential Directives on the Suspension of Top Management and Executive Members of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF and Other Government Agencies by the Ministry.

The lawmaker had last week accused the minister of victimizing the director general and other staff of the NSITF because they refused to do his bid.

When the minister finally appeared before the ad hoc committee on Tuesday, the verbal exchanges got to a dangerous level, after Ngige demanded that Faleke recused himself from the investigation for showing bias on the issue.

The minister had earlier threatened to sue Faleke for accusing him wrongly calling the lawmaker ‘a small boy’.

He said the lawmaker should respect him, the same way he would do to Tinubu, his leader and political benefactor.

Faleke is from Kogi state, but through the benevolence of the APC National Leader has been privilege to represent Lagos for many years in the House of Representatives, despite protests from indigenous Lagosians.

According to Ngige “Faleke, they said is up to 60. You are near my age, but I am at least seven years older than you. I’m sure. I am of the same age with your mentor in Lagos, Asiwaju. I was governor with him at the same time. He was a senator, and I was a senator. I am a two-time minister and he isn’t a two-time minister.”

Ngige also reminded Faleke of his failed bid in Kogi state, to become Deputy Governor to Late Abubakar Audu, to which Faleke responded “Mr Minister, please respond.”

The minister fired back that “I am responding. You yab me, I will yab you 10 times. I am a Lagos boy. You are just a small boy in Lagos. Look at this boy. Mushin boy is talking to a VI boy. I live in Victoria Island,” Ngige said.

Problem started when the lawmaker during plenary at the House, last week accused the minister of suspending the Director General of the NSITF, Adebayo Somefun because they refused his order to purchase for him five SUVs and other sundry allegations against the former Anambra helmsman.

Somefun alongside other members of his management team were sacked on the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.