According to Ndume, several key positions in Tinubu’s administration have been concentrated in favour of a specific region, leaving other parts of the country underrepresented.
Former Senate Chief Whip, Sen Ali Ndume has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the alleged lopsided appointments in his administration.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Friday, the senator representing Borno South accused the President of violating the Federal Character principle, a key provision of the Nigerian Constitution that mandates equal representation in public offices.
According to Ndume, several key positions in Tinubu’s administration have been concentrated in favour of a specific region, leaving other parts of the country underrepresented.
This, he warned, could further fuel political discontent and deepen existing divisions within the country.
Ndume pointed out, “Seventy-two appointees of Tinubu are Yorubas, I’m not talking about North or South. “Section 14(3) of the Constitution is clear—it says that appointments into political positions should be spread in such a way that no tribe is left out. The Constitution says that everybody should have a sense of belonging.”
He expressed his concern, suggesting that President Tinubu might not be fully aware of the imbalance in his appointments, which he described as unintentional.
However, he emphasized that the current situation could be corrected, urging the administration to view his comments as a “wake-up call.”
Ndume also referenced his past criticisms of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments, especially the lopsided selection of service chiefs.
He shared how he confronted Buhari on the issue, and the former President explained his choices. Ndume hopes that President Tinubu will take action to rectify the current imbalance.
“I criticised Buhari on his lopsided appointment of service chiefs, I even confronted him on that and he gave me the reasons,” Ndume stated.
The APC Senator also expressed concern over the rising political opposition against the President. He warned that the dissatisfaction within the ruling party, particularly among APC members, is growing.
“Every vote matters,” Ndume said, stressing that some members of the APC feel neglected and abandoned.
Referring to Governor El-Rufai’s earlier remarks, Ndume explained that many party members are upset because they feel they have no access to the President.
Instead of addressing these grievances, Ndume noted that the Presidency has opted to criticize these individuals in the media, which he deemed “very dangerous.”
Ndume concluded by urging the President and the APC leadership to pay attention to the simmering discontent within the party, as this could have serious implications for the future of the administration.
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