…Warns against undermining national trust, unity
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Presidency has rejected claims made by Senator Ali Ndume, who accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of favouring certain ethnic groups in his appointments, labelling the allegations as hypocritical, divisive, and baseless.
In a response shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga dismissed Ndume’s comments, calling the Borno South senator’s statements “headline-chasing” and “rabble-rousing.”
The statement refuted the senator’s claim during a recent television interview that President Tinubu’s appointments were disproportionately tilted in favour of specific ethnic groups.
Onanuga criticised Ndume’s remarks as misleading, designed to inflame ethnic tensions rather than offer constructive criticism.
“Senator Ali Ndume’s latest outburst on TV about so-called ‘lopsided appointments’ by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception,” the statement read.
“While presenting himself as a moral authority on equity, he conveniently ignored the fact that two of his own kinsmen were appointed to high positions at NNPC Limited—one of whom is from his senatorial district and was appointed Chairman by the President.”
The Presidency stressed that President Tinubu remains committed to forming an inclusive government that reflects Nigeria’s diversity, founded on merit, capacity, integrity, and national balance.
“The President’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, integrity, geographical spread, and proven ability to serve the Nigerian people, not Ndume’s cherry-picked tribal arithmetic,” Onanuga stated.
Urging the Senator to “elevate public discourse,” the Presidency warned that such inflammatory and misleading remarks from a senior lawmaker could damage public trust and undermine national unity.
“Ndume has repeatedly shown a disregard for facts and a preference for theatrics. His tendency to make unsubstantiated criticisms, only to be contradicted by facts, suggests he is more focused on stirring divisive narratives than responsibly addressing national concerns,” the statement concluded.