Ndume Urges Tinubu to Withdraw Ambassadorial List, Says It Breaches Federal Character Principle

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Ahead of this week’s Senate screening of the 65 ambassadorial nominees appointed by President Bola Tinubu, Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has appealed to the president to withdraw the list, insisting it breaches the federal character principle.

Ndume, a former Senate Leader and Chief Whip, argued that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the federal government.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the lawmaker warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.

He highlighted disparities in the distribution of nominees, noting that while some states have 3 or 4 slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.

“The entire North-east state has seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-west geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-west and South-east have 13 and 9, respectively.

North-central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominees, while South-south parades 12 nominees,” Ndume said.

He warned that such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.

“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster 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,” Ndume added.

The Senate is expected to begin screening the 65 nominees this week, following the submission from President Tinubu last Thursday.

The transmission, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, included 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners and 31 non-career nominees.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after senators commenced screening an earlier batch of three nominees forwarded by the Presidency.

Notable career diplomats on the list include Ambassadors Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), and Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa).

The list of non-career nominees features several political heavyweights, such as former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) from Cross River; ex-presidential aide and former senator, Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom); and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) from Kano.

Other prominent names include former presidential aide Reno Omokri; former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; ex-Lagos deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; ex-Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

Senate insiders told our correspondent that the exercise “will not be business as usual,” with opposition senators hinting at a more probing session for several nominees.

Akpabio has referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with a one-week deadline. “The committee is to report back to us in one week,” he said.