Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) has hammered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for filling political positions with people from the South-West in disobedience to the Federal Character principle enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria.
Speaking while a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS, Ndume, accused Tinubu of not only giving more than 70 per cent of the appointments to Yoruba indigenes, but appointing those with no idea of how to use it to better the lots of Nigerians now worse off since the President came into power two years ago.
Ndume’s All Progressives Congress (APC) had last year stripped him of the position of Senate Chief Whip, last year, after he charged The Presidency of government padding.
He had accused Tinubu of running a government of kleptocracy and Khakistocracy, in an in a July 2024interview he granted ARISE NEWS.
“The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s not that I’m just making accusations. And it’s not that I’m saying, well, the president has no right to do that kind of thing. But it’s a constitutional provision. Section 13, I mean, section 14 (3) of the constitution is very, very clear.
He said in the new interview: “When you look at it vis-a-vis the appointments made so far, and there are political appointments. If they were appointments that are professional, like you don’t appoint somebody who is not a soldier to be Chief of Army Staff or somebody who is not a policeman to be the IG of police and you can’t appoint the person when he is not qualified.
“But then, when you come to look at political appointments, the constitution is very clear. And it is because of avoiding such infractions that the constitution, section 14 (3) clearly states that appointments, especially political appointments should reflect the federal character, and that is not the case here.
“And 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.
“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. And 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.
“I think I have better personal relationship than most of these people that are talking about President Tinubu. In the north, if you count five people that have close relationship with Mr President, Ndume is one of them. But that does not stop me from speaking the truth. I have obligations to do that, especially when all of us know that at the end of it all, 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. But you know what, after this interview, those attack dogs or maga-dogs will start attacking Ndume, not the message.
“And that is why we always get it right. 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. I have the right. That is guaranteed by the constitution. But from tomorrow, those so-called Tinubu boys or people will start attacking Ndume – he’s a frustrated person. The facts are there. These are the facts. I’m not the one who created it, these are facts that were created by people who were there.
“It’s not about juicier jobs, it is about spread, it’s about equity, it is about justice. Look, the coming of Mr. President is based on justice, equity and fairness and it is expected that he will continue in that direction to ensure fairness, because he swore that as President to be fair, equitable and justful. That’s what the President swore to be.
“But that is not what is being reflected in the events – whether he knows it or he doesn’t know – that’s why I’ve called his attention to look at these things that he can do something about it. That is the issue.”
