Senator Ali Ndume, a former Senate Leader and representative of Borno South, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that future federal appointments reflect Nigeria’s diversity, particularly by giving greater consideration to the South-East geopolitical zone.
Ndume’s call comes in the wake of the President’s latest round of board appointments into major federal agencies, which drew commendation for responsiveness but also raised concerns over regional imbalance. While welcoming the new appointments, the senator cautioned that the growing perception of marginalisation of the South-East must be urgently addressed to preserve national cohesion.
“These appointments, alongside those of May, clearly show the President listens to concerns and acts on legitimate agitations,” Ndume stated in a release issued in Abuja.
Among the newly appointed officials are Muhammad Babangida (Bank of Agriculture), Lydia Kalat Musa (Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority), Jamilu Wada Aliyu (National Educational Research and Development Council), Sanusi Musa (Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution), and Tomi Somefun from Oyo State, who was named Managing Director of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC).
According to preliminary breakdowns, the appointments showed strong representation from Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara States a trend Ndume described as a “just reward” for the North’s overwhelming electoral support for President Tinubu in the 2023 general election.
Still, he emphasized the urgent need for balanced national representation.
“The narrative that the South-East has been sidelined must not be allowed to persist,” Ndume warned. “It is already gaining ground and could worsen if left unaddressed.”
The senator reminded the Presidency that federal appointments are not merely political favors, but constitutional obligations governed by the Federal Character Principle, which seeks to ensure equitable participation of all regions in national governance.
He encouraged the President to use upcoming nomination opportunities to correct the disparity and give the South-East its due share of representation.
“While I commend Mr President’s deliberate choices in these appointments, it is my hope that upcoming nominations will reflect national diversity, particularly by ensuring more representation for the South-East,” he concluded.
Ndume’s remarks echo broader calls from political leaders and civil society groups urging the government to promote unity and inclusion in its approach to governance.
