Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, along with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for not promoting inclusive governance.
This comes amid growing public outcry over what many see as unbalanced political appointments since he took office.
Since President Tinubu assumed power, his appointments have sparked mixed reactions. Some Nigerians have questioned the competence of certain appointees, while others have raised concerns about their loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Many critics argue that the appointments do not follow the federal character principle enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time show on Monday, Senator Ali Ndume expressed concern that the President’s choices violate Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which calls for fair representation of all regions in government positions.
Ndume stated, “The appointments do not reflect Nigeria’s diversity, which is vital for national unity.”
In defense, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, released a list on Wednesday detailing the regional distribution of Tinubu’s appointees: 29 from the South-West (Tinubu’s home region), 35 from the North-West, 22 from the South-South, 16 from the South-East, 25 from the North Central, and 24 from the North-East.
However, critics noted that the list was incomplete. Key figures such as the Minister of Youth, Ayodele Wisdom; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap all from the South-West were missing.
This fueled further claims of regional favoritism, especially given the underrepresentation of the South-East.
On Thursday, Dare apologized on his (formerly Twitter) account for the oversight and promised a corrected list. However, he did not explain why Gbajabiamila’s name was left out.
