Ndume Urges Tinubu to Withdraw Ambassadorial Nominee List Over Federal Character Breach

Ahead of the Senate’s screening and confirmation of the ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the Presidency, former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw the list from the National Assembly.

Ndume argued that the current composition of nominees contravenes the Federal Character principle as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution.

Checks revealed inconsistencies in the distribution of nominees: while some states have three or four representatives, Gombe has none, and the only nominee from Yobe, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, passed away in July. The entire North East region has only seven nominees on the list.

Further findings showed that the South West has 15 nominees, North West 13, South East 9, North Central 10, and the South South 12 nominees across career and non-career categories.

On Thursday, the Senate President formally read the list of nominees at plenary and referred it to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for legislative review.

In a statement on Saturday, the Senator representing Borno South insisted that the list violates Section 14(3) of the Constitution, which mandates that federal appointments must reflect Nigeria’s diversity to promote unity and national loyalty.

The section states: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity… ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or ethnic or sectional groups.”

Ndume, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, warned that decisions capable of stoking ethnic tensions or sowing distrust should be avoided, especially given the negative narratives being pushed internationally.

He said:
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical time in the life of his administration, he should avoid missteps that could endanger national unity and promote ethnic distrust. I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who relates well with every segment of the country. He should present a fresh list that aligns with the spirit of the Constitution and reflects the true Federal Character Principle.”