Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has fired a warning that President Bola Tinubu’s political appointments, which he claims violate the federal character principle, may have lasting consequences if not corrected.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Ndume noted that while Tinubu has the freedom to appoint individuals to key positions, those appointments must reflect national diversity, dictated by the Constitution of Nigeria.
“The Constitution is very clear when you look at it vis-à-vis the appointments made so far. These are political appointments, and Section 143 clearly states that political appointments should reflect the federal character. That is not the case here,” he said.
Ndume clarified that while professional appointments, like those of the Chief of Army Staff or the Inspector General of Police, require specific expertise, political appointments should be more inclusive to promote national unity.
“You can’t appoint someone who is not a soldier as Chief of Army Staff or someone who is not a police officer as the IGP. But for political appointments, the Constitution insists on fairness, and that’s being violated,” he added.
“These things can boomerang at a certain period of time if they are not corrected,” Ndume cautioned.
“All I’m doing is drawing the president’s attention to these infractions.
“As a Nigerian, I have the right to voice this out. In fact, that’s why I’m in the National Assembly to provide oversight on the president’s actions. This is not personal,” he said.
