A former Senate Leader and lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, has commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing several Northerners to key positions within federal agencies, calling it a step towards inclusive governance.
In a statement personally signed and issued in Abuja on Saturday, Ndume praised the President for responding to earlier concerns over regional imbalance in government appointments.
His comments followed Friday’s announcement of 12 new appointments from the region into strategic national positions.
Among the new appointees are Yazid Shehu Danfulani (Zamfara) as Managing Director of the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Hamza Baba (Kano) as Programme Manager of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, Abubakar Jarengol (Adamawa) as Executive Director of Operations at NAIC, and Sama’ila Audu (Katsina) as Executive Director of Administration at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
Others include Prof. Musa Tafsiri (Kebbi) as Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, and Isa Aremu (Kwara) as Director-General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies.
Ndume, who had previously criticised the administration for marginalising the North in appointments, referenced Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates fair representation of Nigeria’s diverse regions.
He had earlier warned that any continued imbalance could deepen discontent and foster opposition against the administration.
However, in his latest statement, the senator commended Tinubu’s response, describing the recent appointments as a reflection of the President’s openness to feedback and commitment to national unity.
“President Tinubu is someone who surrenders to constructive criticism. I have known him to be a fair-minded, cosmopolitan person. No one is infallible,” Ndume said.
He continued, “When our leaders in the North, including myself, expressed concern over the lopsided nature of previous appointments, it wasn’t to attack but to highlight an important constitutional issue. This move by the President shows his ability to listen and adapt.”
Ndume emphasised that while he remains committed to holding the government accountable, he supports President Tinubu’s broader vision for Nigeria and believes in his capacity to deliver on democratic promises.
He congratulated the new appointees and urged them to justify the trust placed in them, warning that the expectations of Nigerians remain high.
Ndume pledged his continued loyalty to the President, reiterating that his criticisms would always be guided by patriotism and the national interest.