The presidency on Tuesday says the comments by Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume that President Bola Tinubu is not complying with the federal character principle in political appointments reeks of hypocrisy and selective position.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday, the lawmaker accused the President of violating the constitutional requirement for balanced representation in government appointments.
Ndume pointed to Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that political appointments reflect the country’s diversity.
In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the presidency said Ndume never mentioned during the interview that two people from his constituency recently got top appointments in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The statement reads “Senator Ali Ndume’s latest outburst on TV about so-called “lopsided appointments” by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception.
“While the Borno senator grandstanded as a moral authority on equity, he forgot to tell his interviewer that two of his kinsmen featured in recent NNPC Limited top appointments. The Chairman, appointed by President Tinubu, is from Ndume’s senatorial district. If Tinubu and his surrogates’ choices are so “tribal,” how did two of Ndume’s kinsmen clinch NNPC’s top roles?”
“As a politician, Ndume has proven time and time again that he is allergic to facts and addicted to theatrics. His habit of firing half-baked criticisms—only to be contradicted by facts—proves he’s more interested in headline-chasing, rabble rousing, stoking divisive narratives than offering constructive criticism”.
“President Tinubu is deeply committed to fostering a government that embraces all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic or regional affiliations. He aims to harness our nation’s diverse strengths to achieve a common goal: building a prosperous Nigeria. The President’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, integrity, geographical spread and a demonstrable capacity to serve the Nigerian people, not Ndume’s cherry-picked tribal arithmetic”.
“We urge Ndume to elevate public discourse and avoid misinformation and baseless criticism. This is a disservice to the nation and the behaviour least expected from a Nigerian Senator”.
