Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has come out swinging against President Bola Tinubu’s newly released list of 65 ambassadorial nominees, describing it as lopsided, unfair, and a direct violation of Nigeria’s federal character principle.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, Ndume — a former Senate Leader and Chief Whip — warned that the nominee distribution across states and geopolitical zones is “imbalanced” and risks fuelling ethnic tension at a time the government should be strengthening national unity.
According to him, the allocation of slots paints a worrisome picture. The North-East, for instance, received only seven nominees, while the South-West got 15. The North-West has 13, South-East 9, North-Central 10, and South-South 12. Ndume said such wide disparities undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution, which mandates equitable representation in federal appointments.
He also raised alarm over an even more shocking detail: the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly passed away in July. Ndume argued that this error further proves the list was “poorly compiled and should be withdrawn immediately.”
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list,” he said. “At this critical juncture, the administration cannot afford missteps capable of deepening ethnic distrust. President Tinubu is a cosmopolitan leader; he should present a fresh set of nominees that reflect the true spirit of federal character.”
The Senate is set to begin screening the 65 nominees next week, following the transmittal read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday. The batch includes 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career nominees, coming less than a day after lawmakers started screening a previous set of three nominees from the Presidency.
Some of the notable career diplomats on the list include Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), and Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa). The non-career list features several political heavyweights such as retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas, former presidential aide Ita Enang, ex-Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, former INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, among others.
Senate insiders say this screening “will not be business as usual,” as opposition senators are reportedly gearing up for a more intense and probing session.
Akpabio has already referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with a strict one-week deadline to report back.