Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to retract the ambassadorial nomination list submitted to the Senate, alleging that the selection process violates the Federal Character principle contained in the 1999 Constitution.
The Senate on Thursday, December 4, received the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominees and referred it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening.
In a statement released on Saturday, Ndume — who represents Borno South — described the distribution of nominees as “lopsided,” arguing that it fails to reflect the country’s diversity as mandated by Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
He noted that while some states reportedly have up to three or four nominees, others, such as Gombe State, have none. Ndume also pointed out that Yobe’s only nominee, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, died in July, leaving the North East with only seven slots overall.
According to him, a review of the list by geopolitical zones shows further marginalisation of underrepresented regions. He stressed that the imbalance contradicts constitutional requirements intended to promote national unity and prevent dominance by any one region or group.
“At this critical stage of his administration, President Tinubu must avoid actions that could inflame ethnic tensions or foster distrust,” he warned. “I call on him to withdraw the list and present a new set of nominees that uphold the spirit of the Constitution.”
Ndume added that Tinubu, whom he described as a “cosmopolitan leader,” has a responsibility to ensure equitable representation across all states and geopolitical zones. Doing so, he said, would strengthen national cohesion and reinforce public trust in the administration’s commitment to inclusiveness.