…says federal appointments are not just political rewards; they are constitutional obligations meant to reflect the diversity of our federation.
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times reports that a former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make deliberate efforts to ensure the South-East is adequately represented in future federal appointments, warning that continued exclusion risks deepening national divisions.
Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate, made the call in a statement on Saturday while reacting to the latest round of appointments into the governing boards of key federal agencies by the Tinubu administration.
While praising the President’s decision to appoint more northerners – a move he described as a response to legitimate concerns of marginalization. Ndume said inclusivity must extend beyond political loyalty or regional support bases.
“These appointments, alongside those of May, clearly show that the President listens and responds to genuine concerns,” Ndume said. “It is reassuring, especially to our elders in the North, that President Tinubu is committed to balancing regional interests and not pursuing any agenda to sideline the North, a region that gave him massive support during the 2023 elections.”
Among the notable names announced over the weekend is Muhammad Babangida, son of former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, who will now chair the Bank of Agriculture.
Others include Lydia Kalat Musa, appointed Chairperson of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority; Jamilu Wada Aliyu for the National Educational Research and Development Council; Yahuza Ado Inuwa for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria; and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sanusi Musa, who now heads the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Also named were Professor Al-Mustapha Aliyu as Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa; Sanusi Garba Rikiji for the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations; and Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria as Executive Director of the Integrated Water Resources Management Commission.
Preliminary checks indicate that Kano and Kaduna secured the highest number of appointments with three and two nominees respectively, while Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara also featured prominently.
Outside the North, Oyo State produced Tomi Somefun, who was named Managing Director of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.
But despite commending the appointments, Ndume warned against the growing perception that the South-East is being marginalised – a narrative he said was both damaging to national cohesion and inconsistent with the constitutional principle of Federal Character.
“The notion that the South-East is being sidelined is already taking root and could fester if ignored,” he said.
“Federal appointments are not just political rewards; they are constitutional obligations meant to reflect the diversity of our federation. Denying any region fair representation is not only unjust but a serious misstep.”
Ndume called on President Tinubu to seize the opportunity of subsequent appointments to strengthen national unity by embracing broader inclusion.
“I commend Mr President for his choices so far, but I hope future appointments will mirror the true diversity of our country – particularly by giving the South-East its rightful place at the federal table,” he said.
