Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume has commended President Bola Tinubu over fresh appointments into Boards of key federal agencies while urging the President to accommodate more southeasterners in his next set of board appointments.
The new appointees unveiled during the weekend include Muhammad Babangida, son of former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, who was named the Chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture.
Other notable appointments include Lydia Kalat Musa as Chairperson of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Jamilu Wada Aliyu as chairman of the National Educational Research and Development Council, Yahuza Ado Inuwa for Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and Sanusi Musa as Chairman of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The list also features Professor Al-Mustapha Aliyu as Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, Sanusi Garba Rikiji as Director-General of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, and Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria as Executive Director of the Integrated Water Resources Management Commission.
Analysis of the appointments reveals a geographic concentration, with most appointees coming from northern states. Apart from Mohammed Babangida from Niger State in the North-Central, both Kano and Kaduna had three and two appointees, respectively. Sokoto and Zamfara in the North-West region have a slot each, while Oyo State produced Tomi Somefun as the Director General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission.
This follows a pattern established in May when Tinubu appointed 12 individuals from northern states into significant positions in federal agencies.
Ndume Praises Tinubu's Responsiveness
Ndume commended Tinubu for taking necessary steps to address concerns in the North regarding his appointments.
"These appointments and the one he did last May when he gave 12 key agencies to competent individuals from the North were assuring enough. It goes to show that he is a responsive leader who listens to criticisms and surrenders to genuine and legitimate agitation," Ndume stated.
He added, "These two appointments will reassure the North, particularly its elders, that President Tinubu isn't a leader that will deliberately promote an agenda to alienate the region which stood with him during the last general elections."
Call for South-East Inclusion
Despite his praise, the senator representing Borno South appealed to Tinubu to consider the South-East in his next appointments, highlighting concerns about regional balance in federal positions.
"The wrong narrative that the South-East has been abandoned and would not count in patronage distribution should not be allowed to fester for long," Ndume emphasized.
He pointed out constitutional concerns, stating, "It is even a breach of the Federal Character Principle, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution to strip an entire region of adequate representation. This is a big misstep that must be corrected. Every part of the country deserves sense of belonging in a federation."
Ndume concluded by expressing hope that "subsequent nominations will reflect broader national inclusiveness, by accommodating more individuals from the South-East."
Stay updated with the latest political developments by following BenriNews on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
