Why Tinubu should withdraw ambassadorial list -Ndume

The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the ambassadorial nomination list currently before the Senate, arguing that its composition breaches the Federal Character requirement outlined in the 1999 Constitution.

The Senate on Thursday received the lists of career and non-career ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the President and subsequently referred them to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening.

But in a statement issued on Saturday, Ndume, who represents Borno South, faulted what he described as a “lopsided” distribution of the nominees, insisting the configuration does not reflect Nigeria’s diversity as mandated by Section 14(3) of the Constitution.

He noted that while some states were allotted up to three or four nominees, others—including Gombe State—had none. Ndume also pointed out that Yobe’s only nominee, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, died in July, leaving the North East with just seven slots overall.

According to him, the breakdown of the list by geopolitical zones shows that certain regions, particularly the North East, were marginalised. The former Senate Leader maintained that the imbalance violates the constitutional requirement that federal appointments must mirror the country’s heterogeneity to foster national unity and prevent dominance by a few states or groups.

“At this critical time in the life of his administration, President Tinubu must avoid decisions that could fuel ethnic tension or breed distrust.

“I appeal to him to withdraw the list and present a fresh set of nominees that align with the spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

Ndume added that the President, whom he described as a “cosmopolitan leader,” should ensure equitable representation for all states and geopolitical zones to reinforce national cohesion and enhance public trust in the administration’s commitment to inclusiveness.