Ndume applauds Tinubu’s new appointments, makes case for South-East

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South and is a former Senate Leader, has lauded President Bola Tinubu for his recent appointments to the boards of several major federal agencies, describing the decisions as timely and attentive to the concerns of the North.

In a statement issued Saturday in Abuja, Ndume said the appointments addressed longstanding complaints from the region.

Among those appointed are Lydia Musa as Chairperson of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority; Jamilu Aliyu as Chairman of the National Educational Research and Development Council; and Yahuza Inuwa as Chairman of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

Also named were Sanusi Musa (SAN) as Chairman of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and Muhammad Babangida, son of former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, who will lead the newly restructured Bank of Agriculture.

Additional appointments include Prof Al-Mustapha Aliyu as Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa; Sanusi 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.

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A regional breakdown shows Kano received three appointments, Kaduna secured two, while Sokoto and Zamfara got one each. From the North Central, Muhammad represents Niger State. In the South-West, Oyo State’s Tomi Somefun was named Managing General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission.

Ndume emphasized that the President appeared to be making conscious efforts to address northern grievances.

“These appointments and the one he did last May when he gave 12 key agencies to competent individuals from the North were assuring enough,” he said.

“It goes to show that he is a responsive leader who listens to criticisms and surrenders to genuine and legitimate agitation.

“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.”

While commending the President’s efforts, Ndume urged him to extend the same gesture to the South-East to ensure equity and national balance.

“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.

“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 a sense of belonging in a federation,” he said.

Ndume called for broader inclusivity in future nominations.

“While I acknowledge Mr. President’s steadfastness with these appointments, we are hopeful that subsequent nominations will reflect broader national inclusiveness, by accommodating more individuals from the South East,” he added.