Ndume Demands Withdrawal Of Ambassadorial Nominees List

Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the recently submitted list of ambassadorial nominees, citing what he described as a clear breach of the federal character principle enshrined in the nation’s Constitution.

The appeal came ahead of the senate’s screening and confirmation of the nominees recently transmitted to the upper chamber by the Presidency.

The senate president had on Thursday read the list at plenary and referred it to the committee on foreign affairs for further legislative action.

However, discrepancies in the distribution of nominees across states and geopolitical zones have triggered concerns.

Checks showed that while some states have three or four nominees, states like Gombe have no representation, and Yobe’s only nominee, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, passed away in July. The entire North-East has just seven nominees.

A breakdown by zones revealed the South-West with 15 nominees, North-West with 13, South-East with 9, North-Central with 10, and the South-South with 12.

In a statement issued yesterday, Ndume, who represents Borno South, argued that the distribution violates Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that the composition and conduct of the federal government reflect the nation’s diversity to promote unity and national loyalty.

Quoting the section, Ndume emphasised that no government agency should be dominated by a few states or ethnic groups.

“The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies…
shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria… ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or ethnic or other sectional groups,” he stated.

The former chief whip cautioned President Tinubu against actions capable of heightening ethnic tension or eroding public trust, especially at a time he believes the administration is facing unfair external narratives.

He said: “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 could endanger national unity and promote ethnic distrust. I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment of 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.”