Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he called a clear violation of the federal character principle in the President’s recent political appointments.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Ndume accused President Tinubu of not following the Nigerian Constitution, which requires fair representation of all regions in government appointments.
Ndume said, “It’s not that I’m just making accusations. The figures are there. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s a constitutional provision. Section 14(3) of the constitution is very, very clear.”
Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution states that political appointments must reflect the diversity of Nigeria, ensuring fair representation for all ethnic, regional, and religious groups. Ndume said the President’s actions clearly go against this rule.
He explained, “When you look at it vis-a-vis the appointments made so far, and there are political appointments, the constitution is very clear. It is because of avoiding such infractions that the constitution clearly states that appointments, especially political appointments, should reflect the federal character, and that is not the case here.”
Ndume said his comments were not meant to attack the President personally but to remind him of his constitutional duties.
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The senator said, “I know, as you rightly say, people look at me as somebody that is critical of the government. I have the right to do that in the first place. In fact, that’s why I’m in the National Assembly in the first place. Collectively, we are supposed to oversight the acts of Mr President and point out some of these irregularities. That is what we swore to do. It’s not personal.”
The senator also expressed concern that if these issues are not corrected, they could cause problems in the future.
“All I am saying is to call the attention of Mr President to such infractions so that it can be corrected; otherwise, you know, these things can boomerang at a certain period of time,” he warned.
Ndume also addressed expected criticism from supporters of the President, saying he is ready for any backlash.
He said, “After this interview, those attack dogs or maga-dogs will start attacking Ndume, not the message. It is not about Ndume or me being a senator. As a Nigerian, I have the right to voice out all these things. Not only that, I have the right to even protest. That is guaranteed by the constitution.”
He stressed that his stand comes from a sense of duty and responsibility to the people he represents and the country as a whole.
“Each one of us will stand before God, and God will ask him to account for what he is responsible for. Besides, we are all in this government. What will we tell our people? When you have these figures out, it is already viral, it is already in circulation,” he added.
Senator Ndume is a ranking member of the National Assembly and one of the influential voices from the northern region. His comments come amid growing concern among Nigerians about the fairness and inclusivity of government decisions under President Tinubu’s leadership