LAGOS, Nigeria — Di Presidency don admit say dem make mistakes for di list of appointments wey President Bola Tinubu announce since e enter office on May 29, 2023. Dis apology come after Senator Ali Ndume, wey dey represent Borno South for di All Progressives Congress (APC), tok say di appointments no dey follow di federal character principle.
Di Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to di President, Sunday Dare, release di apology on im verified X account after some critics don dey point finger say di appointments dey favor some regions pass oda. Di presidency don release di list to counter dis claim, but some major names miss from di list including di President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
In a recent appearance on Arise Television, Ndume don condemn di lack of federal character for di appointments. E tok, ‘As a lawmaker, I gatz call di attention of di President because later e fit come back to haunt us.’ According to Ndume, di Constitution make am clear say di appointments suppose reflect federal character to promote national unity.
Di Constitution, for section 14 (3), mention say ‘di composition of di Govment of di Federation or any of di agencies and di conduct of dia affairs shall dey carried out in such a manner wey go reflect di federal character of Nigeria.’ Ndume don express concern say di list of appointments dey show say some regions dey underrepresented, especially di South East.
After di backlash, Sunday Dare tok say, ‘We don notice a number of errors for di list of appointments wey we tweet. We dey sorry. We go provide an updated list later. Thank you.’ But he no clarify why Gbajabiamila, who come from di same Southwest region as Tinubu, no dey listed among di appointees.
The released list show say di President appoint 29 people from di Southwest, 35 from di Northwest, 22 from di South-South, 16 from di Southeast, 25 from di North Central, and 24 from di Northeast. But di omission of Gbajabiamila and other major appointments don intensify di criticism against di Tinubu administration.
Critics don dey argue say di President dey give preference to his own region, while supporters insist say competence and loyalty be di guiding principles for di appointments. Di ongoing discussion don raise fresh concerns about regional equity within di Nigerian governance system, something wey don dey notorious for many years now.
As di issue dey unfold, many dey call for more balanced representation across all geopolitical zones in di appointments made by di President into agencies and ministries. Di tension wey dey build up from dis controversy fit affect di perceived credibility of Tinubu’s government and bring more scrutiny on future decisions wey e go make regarding appointments.
