Ndume Commends Tinubu on Fresh Appointments, Urges Inclusion of South-East

Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has lauded President Bola Tinubu over the latest appointments into the boards of key federal agencies, while urging the president to ensure equitable inclusion of the South-East region in future nominations.

President Tinubu, over the weekend, approved a new set of appointments that cut across various strategic agencies. Among those appointed is Muhammad Babangida, son of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, who will now serve as the Chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture.

Other key appointments include Lydia Kalat Musa as Chairperson of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority; Jamilu Wada Aliyu, Chairman of the National Educational Research and Development Council; Yahuza Ado Inuwa, Chairman of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria; and Sanusi Musa (SAN), Chairman of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Additionally, Professor Al-Mustapha Aliyu was named Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa; Sanusi Garba Rikiji will head the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations as Director-General; while Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria was appointed Executive Director of the Integrated Water Resources Management Commission.

Also on the list is Tomi Somefun from Oyo State, who was named Managing General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission.

A regional breakdown of the appointments shows that Kano and Kaduna States secured three and two slots respectively, while Sokoto and Zamfara had one each. Apart from Muhammad Babangida from Niger State (North Central), most appointments were concentrated in the North West.

Reacting to the development, Senator Ndume, in a personally signed statement issued in Abuja, described the appointments as a demonstration of Tinubu’s responsiveness to concerns raised, particularly from the Northern region.

“These appointments and the ones made last May, where 12 key agencies were assigned to competent individuals from the North, are reassuring. They demonstrate that President Tinubu listens to legitimate agitations and is committed to fostering national unity,” Ndume stated.

He, however, expressed concern over what he termed the continued marginalisation of the South-East in federal appointments.

“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,” he warned.

Ndume noted that such exclusion violates the Federal Character Principle enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, stressing the need for balanced representation to uphold equity and national cohesion.

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

The senator emphasized that every region of the country deserves a sense of belonging and fair representation in governance.

President Tinubu’s latest appointments follow growing calls from different parts of the country for fair and inclusive governance that reflects Nigeria’s diversity.