Senator Ali Ndume has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of breaching the Federal Character principle in the appointment of ambassadors.
He demanded immediate withdrawal of the ambassadorial nomination list currently before the Senate.
Tinubu sent three batches of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate consisting of both career and non-career diplomats.
The former Senate Leader on Saturday said the distribution of nominees was “lopsided” and failed to reflect Nigeria’s diversity as required under Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
Ndume pointed out that some states got many as three or four nominees, while others don’t have even a slot.
According to him, Yobe State’s only nominee, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, passed away in July, adding that the entire North East got only seven nominees.
He also said the breakdown by geo-political zones had marginalised North East and other zones.
Ndume who represents Borno South, said the imbalance breached the Constitution, which states that appointments into federal institutions must reflect Nigeria’s federal character to promote national unity and prevent dominance by a few states or ethnic groups.
“At this critical time in the life of his administration, President Tinubu must avoid decisions that could fuel ethnic tension or breed distrust.
“I appeal to him to withdraw the list and present a fresh set of nominees that align with the spirit of the Constitution,” he said
