Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South and a former Chief Whip of the Senate, has renewed the call for Nigeria to review its legislative structure, arguing that adopting a part-time model for federal lawmakers could drastically reduce government expenditure.
Speaking during a Channels Television programme on Thursday, Ndume said the country’s full-time National Assembly has become too expensive to sustain, especially as Nigeria grapples with economic strain and worsening insecurity. He asserted that shifting to part-time legislative duties would free up billions of naira that could be invested in defence, security equipment, and other urgent national needs.
According to the senator, the high cost of governance is directly linked to Nigeria’s diminished ability to confront threats such as insurgency in the North-East, rampant banditry across the North-West and North-Central, and rising cases of kidnapping and violent crimes nationwide.
Ndume also criticised the continued use of heavy police escorts by lawmakers and top government officials, despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive withdrawing officers from VIP security assignments. The directive had ordered Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to redeploy the policemen to frontline and community policing roles.
“Nothing has changed. Senators still move around with too many policemen,” Ndume said, urging the police leadership to enforce the presidential order.
He argued that the redeployment of officers from personal protection to public security duties would strengthen national safety more effectively than maintaining elaborate escort convoys for politicians.
The senator noted that the nation’s security agencies are overstretched and require every available officer on the field—yet thousands remain attached to influential individuals.
Ndume insisted that Nigeria must rethink its priorities if it hopes to restore stability and revive the economy. Reducing legislative costs and curbing VIP security excesses, he said, would allow the government to channel more resources into equipment, logistics, and welfare for security personnel.
He urged President Tinubu and the police hierarchy to expedite ongoing reforms so that security operatives can return to their primary responsibility of safeguarding citizens rather than politicians.
