Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the list of Nigerians sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation as ambassadors. Ndume made the appeal in Abuja on Thursday.
He explained that his request was based on his observation that the list, as currently composed, breaches the Federal Character principle enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Ndume’s argument stemmed from specific disparities in representation. He pointed out that while certain states have three and four nominees each, Gombe, for example, has no representation.
He also noted the controversy surrounding the only nominee from Yobe, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, who died last July.
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The entire Northeast geopolitical zone was allotted 7 nominees, significantly fewer than the Southwest zone which received 15 nominees, the Northwest (13), Southeast (9), North Central (10), and South South (12).
The Senator explained that the list contravened Section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, which 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, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.”
Ndume issued a direct plea to President Tinubu, urging him to prevent division: “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 would endanger national unity and promote ethnic distrust.”
He concluded by stating: “He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle that the government’s structure and operations must represent the diverse states and peoples of Nigeria.”
The Senate President had previously read out the list of nominees at the plenary on Thursday and referred it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for legislative action.
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