The Presidency, Tuesday, carpeted the senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, over his claim on lopsided appointments by President Bola Tinubu.
Also on Tuesday, the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State, Sunday Karimi, tackled Ndume over claims that the President’s political appointments breached the federal character principle of equity across the country’s regions.
During an appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday, Ndume, a former Majority Leader of the Senate, accused the President of violating the constitutional requirement for balanced representation in government appointments.
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“All I am saying is to call the attention of Mr President to such infractions so that it can be corrected; otherwise, you know, these things can boomerang at a certain period”, he stated.
“While the Borno senator grandstanded as a moral authority on equity, he forgot to tell his interviewer that two of his kinsmen featured in the recent NNPC Limited top appointments.
“The Chairman appointed by President Tinubu (Ahmadu Kida) 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?” he queried.
The Presidency regretted that Ndume had proven time and time again that he was 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,” the statement added.
Also in a statement he signed, Karimi slammed Ndume for the open criticism of the All Progressives Congress and Tinubu.
“Rather than playing to the gallery and criticising the government, Senator Ndume, as a leader of his people, should go back home and liaise with his people on solving Boko Haram problems. Insecurity has a local solution,” Karimi said.
He urged Ndume to focus more on pressing issues like insecurity instead of playing to the gallery.
The Kogi lawmaker expressed dismay at Ndume’s claims, saying it cost the nation “over 50 per cent of its earnings” to continue its counter-terrorism fight.
Karimi highlighted his efforts to combat banditry, kidnapping, and violent crimes in Kogi West by facilitating the construction of a military base and providing additional logistics to support security initiatives.
“The country has lost a lot of its soldiers and trillions of Naira fighting insurgents in Senator Ndume’s senatorial district in the last decades.
“In fact, I lost one of the young officers, a captain in the Nigerian Army from my senatorial district serving in his community three weeks ago.
“Lots of young Nigerians had lost their lives fighting to defend the territorial integrity of our country.
“Those are more serious and compelling issues threatening our collective existence,” he added.
Ndume knocks Tinubu over lopsided appointments
Earlier, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) had kicked against lopsidedness in federal or political appointments by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which, according to him, has favoured one section or ethnic group, contrary to the dictates of the Federal Character guidelines.
Ndume said he was shocked when he read the endless and sectional list of federal political appointees which have gone viral in social media or public space, describing the situation as non-inclusive and not reflecting the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of Mr President, who has took an Oath of Office and that of allegiance, that sort to carry everybody along while discharging any responsibility as government.
He pointed out that as a lawmaker, and based on his observation, President Tinubu’s appointments so far violated federal character and should be corrected.
The senator, who is a member of the ruling APC, has always been vocal and a critic, especially on some government policies and programmes allegedly not in favour of the Nigerian masses and the electorate.
Responding to a question on the list of political appointees by Mr President, which is in circulation and in favour of one ethnic group, Ndume said, “Well, I don’t think I have anything to add, because the figures are there; you can look at it; I sent you all. It is not that I am making accusations or saying that Mr President does not have the right to make appointments, but Section 14/3 of the Constitution is very clear. When you look at it vis-à-vis the appointments made so far, they are political appointments.
“If appointments that are professional, so to say, like you can’t appoint someone who is not a soldier to become Chief of Army Staff, or you can’t appoint someone who is not a police officer to become the Inspector General of Police, IGP, but then, when you come to look at political appointments, the Constitution, as I said earlier, is very clear, and it is because to avoid such infractions that the constitution of Section 14/3 states that political appointments should reflect the Federal Character….., which is not the case here.
“All I am saying is to call the attention of Mr President to such infractions so that they can be corrected; otherwise, this thing can boomerang at a certain period of time. Just like you said, people look at me as somebody that is critical of the government, but I have the right to do that because that is why I am elected as a legislator at the National Assembly in the first place.
“Collectively, we are supposed to oversee the acts of Mr President and point out some of the irregularities. This is what we swore to do. It is not personal, because if you count five people in the North that have a personal relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I (Ndume) am one of them. But that does not stop me from saying the truth, because I have the obligation to do that in the interest of all Nigerians.
“As a Nigerian and a lawmaker, I have the right to voice this out, but Tinubu’s attack dogs will attack me, not the message. It is not personal, as I said, especially now that everybody will stand before God Almighty and account for his/her own stewardship as leaders. It is unfortunate that after this interaction, these so-called Tinubu Boys or people will start attacking Ndume, saying he is a very frustrating person,” Ndume said.
However, most Nigerians though not supporting the ‘lopsided’ appointments by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari who encouraged such appointments in the country against the constitutional provision of the Federal Character spirit, are criticising Senator Ndume for remaining aloof while the misdeeds went on unabated.
A look at the appointments log from 2015 till date:
By Reno Omokri
