Ali Ndume, ex-Senate leader and current lawmaker for Borno South, has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s recent federal agency appointments as responsive to northern interests and timely in addressing regional concerns.
In an Abuja statement dated Saturday, Ndume outlined the appointees, including Lydia Musa (Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority), Jamilu Aliyu (National Educational Research and Development Council), and Yahuza Inuwa (Standards Organisation of Nigeria). Other appointments of note were Sanusi Musa (SAN) to the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Muhammad Babangida, son of ex-head of state Ibrahim Babangida, appointed as Chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture.
The administration also selected Prof. Al-Mustapha Aliyu to oversee the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, Sanusi Rikiji as Director-General of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, and Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria as Executive Director of the Integrated Water Resources Management Commission.
Kano and Kaduna States led with multiple appointments, while Sokoto and Zamfara each held one. Notably, Niger State’s Muhammad Babangida and Oyo’s Tomi Somefun were also named to key posts.
Ndume emphasized the significance of these decisions, stating, “These appointments and the one he did last May when he gave 12 key agencies to competent individuals from the North were assuring enough. It goes to show that he is a responsive leader.”
However, he made a pointed appeal urging the President to ensure the South East is adequately represented in future nominations to avoid the perception of neglect. “The wrong narrative that the South East has been abandoned and would not count in patronage distribution should not be allowed to fester,” Ndume said.
He added that exclusion violates Nigeria’s federal character and urged for broader inclusivity moving forward.