Former Senate leader and Borno South representative, Ali Ndume, has expressed strong approval of President Bola Tinubu’s recent slate of appointments to federal boards, highlighting their timeliness and alignment with the interests of the northern region.
In a statement from Abuja on Saturday, Ndume praised the President’s selection of key individuals such as Lydia Musa as Chairperson of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Jamilu Aliyu as Chairman of the National Educational Research and Development Council, and Yahuza Inuwa as Chairman of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. Others include Sanusi Musa (SAN) for the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Muhammad Babangida, son of former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, appointed as Chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture.
Additional appointments include Prof. Al-Mustapha Aliyu leading the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, Sanusi Rikiji heading the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, and Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria serving as Executive Director of the Integrated Water Resources Management Commission. The distribution notably favors states like Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara, each securing multiple postings.
“these choices reflect a conscious effort by the administration to address northern concerns and counteract previous grievances,” Ndume asserted. He believes Tinubu’s approach signals responsiveness to criticism and genuine dialogue with aggrieved communities.
He added, “These two appointments, along with the previous 12 key agency placements in May, reassure northern elders that the president is not marginalizing the region, which played a pivotal role in the last elections.”
While applauding the inclusiveness, Ndume did not shy away from recommending greater representation for the South East, emphasizing the constitutional mandate of federal character. “The narrative of neglecting the South East must not be allowed to fester. It violates the 1999 Constitution’s principles,” he said, urging a broader inclusivity in future appointments to foster national unity.
The Borno lawmaker concluded on a hopeful note, calling for future nominations to reflect equitable national representation, thereby strengthening the federation’s cohesion.
