By Kolawole Ojebisi
The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has described the recent appointments by President Bola Tinubu as a reflection of his commitment to inclusive governance.
Ndume maintained that appointing Nigerians from the three geo-political zones in the North to key Federal Government parastatals and agencies shows Tinubu to be a listening leader.
He added that the development has addressed his concerns about imbalance in appointments.
This is contained in a statement issued and personally signed by Ali Ndume on Saturday
He said, “President Tinubu is someone who surrenders to constructive criticisms.
“I have known him to be a fair minded, cosmopolitan person. Yes, we are all bound to make mistakes. No one is infallible.
“I could recall that our leaders in the North, including my humble self, who felt jolted over recent appointments into key federal positions, raised our voices, screaming against the perceived imbalances.
“The hallmark of a good leader and statesman is to quickly adjusts himself when he takes a decision or makes a policy pronouncement that a large section of the people finds unpopular and uncomfortable with.
“President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has demonstrated several times that he is a responsive leader.”
The former Chief Whip of the Red Chamber stressed that he has no axe to grind with Tinubu, affirming his conviction in the capacity of the country’s helmsman to meet the expectations of Nigerians in delivery of dividends of democracy.
Ndume’s remarks is coming a day after the Tinubu administration announced the appointments of about 12 individuals from the North into strategic national positions.
The list included Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani (Zamfara) as Managing Director, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC); Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Baba (Kano) as Programme Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP); Alhaji Abubakar Umar Jarengol (Adamawa) Executive Director, Operations – Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Barrister Sama’ila Audu (Katsina), Executive Director, Administration – Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Professor Musa Garba Mai Tafsiri (Kebbi), Executive Secretary, National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education and Comrade Isa Aremu, ( Kwara) Director-General, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies ( MINILS).
Recall that despite belonging to the same ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with Tinubu, Ndume has been vocal and vociferous in his criticism of the latter’s administration.
The Borno legislator had in April expressed concern over lopsidedness in the Tinubu administration’s appointments, describing the development as a clear violation of the Federal Character principle enshrined in the Constitution.
Citing Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, he maintained that such imbalance and clear violation of the Constitution could deepen political discontent and fuel opposition coalitions against the President and the APC.
