Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the recently submitted list of ambassadorial nominees, insisting that the composition violates the Federal Character principle stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Ndume argued that the list, as currently structured, does not fairly represent all states and geopolitical zones. He pointed out that while some states have as many as three or four nominees, others such as Gombe have none. He also noted that Yobe’s only nominee, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, passed away in July.
A breakdown of the list shows wide disparities across regions: the Northeast has seven nominees, while the Southwest alone has fifteen. The Northwest has thirteen, the Southeast nine, the North Central ten, and the South South twelve.
The Senate President had earlier read out the names during plenary and forwarded them to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening.
Ndume, who represents Borno South, stressed that the nomination list contradicts Section 14(3) of the Constitution, which mandates that appointments into federal positions must reflect Nigeria’s diversity and promote national unity.
He appealed to President Tinubu to reconsider the list, saying:
“At this sensitive stage of his administration, it is important to avoid actions that could undermine national cohesion or create ethnic suspicion. I know President Tinubu as a leader who carries every part of the country along. He should withdraw this list and present a more balanced one that aligns with the Federal Character Principle.”
Ndume urged the president to submit a fresh set of nominees that better represent the nation’s states and ethnic groups, in line with constitutional expectations.
