The Presidency has fiercely responded to comments made by Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South, who criticized the recent appointments made by President Bola Tinubu as being “lopsided” and not in line with the diversity provisions outlined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
Ndume, appearing on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday, claimed that the President’s appointments failed to reflect the federal character principle, which mandates equitable distribution of positions across the country. The senator described the appointments as violations of this constitutional requirement.
In a swift rebuttal, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dele Onanuga, described Ndume’s remarks as “hypocritical” and criticized what he called the lawmaker’s “selective perception.” Onanuga accused Ndume of making baseless political statements while deliberately ignoring key facts to serve his agenda.
The Presidential aide pointed out that Ndume had failed to mention that President Tinubu recently appointed two individuals from the Borno senator’s own constituency to significant roles within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd.). According to Onanuga, the newly appointed Chairman of NNPC, also from Ndume’s senatorial district, was an example of the government’s commitment to inclusive representation.
“While Senator Ndume grandstands as a supposed moral authority on equity, he conveniently left out the fact that two of his kinsmen were appointed to top NNPC positions,” Onanuga remarked. “If President Tinubu’s appointments are truly ‘tribal,’ how do we explain these key appointments within Ndume’s district?” he added.
The presidential aide further accused Ndume of engaging in “headline-chasing” and “rabble-rousing” instead of offering constructive criticism, stating that the senator’s previous statements had often been contradicted by the facts. He claimed that Ndume had a history of making unfounded allegations only to be proven wrong later.
Onanuga reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to merit-based appointments that reflect a balance of geographical spread, integrity, and capacity to serve Nigeria’s diverse population. “The President’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, geographical spread, and the ability to serve the Nigerian people,” Onanuga emphasized.
He also called on Ndume to raise the level of public discourse, urging him to refrain from spreading misinformation and baseless criticism. The Presidential aide concluded that the Tinubu administration remains fully committed to an inclusive governance framework that values both merit and national balance.
