Ndume has urged President Tinubu to prioritise South-East inclusion in future federal appointments over total neglect in recent appointments.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure future federal appointments are more inclusive, particularly with increased representation from the South-East region.
Ndume’s comments follow the latest round of appointments to the governing boards of key federal agencies, which were announced over the weekend. While he welcomed the move and praised the President’s responsiveness to public sentiment, the senator stressed the need to address growing concerns about regional imbalance.
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“These appointments, alongside those made in May, clearly show the President listens to concerns and acts on legitimate agitations,” Ndume said in a statement issued Monday in Abuja. He noted that while the North gained significant representation; a development he acknowledged as justifiable, given the region’s strong support for Tinubu in the 2023 elections, efforts must be made to ensure the South-East does not continue to feel marginalized.
Among the appointees are Muhammad Babangida, son of former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, named chairman of the Bank of Agriculture; Lydia Kalat Musa, appointed to the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority; Jamilu Wada Aliyu to the National Educational Research and Development Council; and Sanusi Musa (SAN), now heading the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Others include Tomi Somefun from Oyo State, named Managing Director of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.
Preliminary reviews of the appointment list show a dominant share allocated to northern states such as Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
While Ndume applauded the President’s outreach to his northern base, he warned that a continued lack of inclusion for the South-East could worsen feelings of alienation and threaten national cohesion. “The narrative that the South-East has been sidelined must not be allowed to persist. It is already gaining ground and could worsen if left unaddressed,” he cautioned.
Ndume emphasized that federal appointments should not be driven solely by political considerations, but should also adhere strictly to the constitutional principle of Federal Character, which mandates fair and equitable representation of all regions in government.
“While I commend Mr President’s deliberate choices in these appointments, it is my hope that upcoming nominations will reflect national diversity, particularly by ensuring more representation for the South-East,” he added.
