Ndume Urges President Tinubu to Withdraw Ambassadorial Nominee List

President Bola Tinubu has been urged by former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, to withdraw the list of ambassadorial nominees he recently submitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Ndume made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja, citing concerns that the list violates the Federal Character principle enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution.

Ndume, representing Borno South, argued that the current composition of the ambassadorial nominees does not reflect the diversity required by the Nigerian Constitution, specifically Section 14(3), which mandates that the composition of government bodies reflect the country’s federal character.

According to Ndume, the list shows an unequal distribution of nominees, with some states having multiple representatives while others are left out.

He pointed out that while states like the Southwest had 15 nominees, the Northeast, which Ndume hails from, has only seven, and Gombe State had no representation at all.

Ndume further highlighted the death of Senator Adamu Garba Talba, the only nominee from Yobe State, who passed away in July. This, he said, added to the inequity of the list, leaving the state unrepresented in the nominations.

Ndume stressed that the issue with the ambassadorial list was not just a matter of optics but one that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic divisions. He urged President Tinubu to reconsider the nominations in the spirit of fairness and inclusivity.

He said, “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.

“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.

“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country.

“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.”