The Presidency has dismissed allegations of lopsided appointments under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the claim by Senator Ali Ndume as hypocritical and misleading.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, “Senator Ali Ndume’s latest outburst on TV about so-called ‘lopsided appointments’ by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception.”
Onanuga pointed out that two of Ndume’s kinsmen from Borno State have been appointed to top roles in NNPC Limited, questioning how Tinubu’s appointments could be considered “tribal” if they included individuals from Ndume’s own senatorial district.
“While the Borno senator grandstanded as a moral authority on equity, he forgot to tell his interviewer that two of his kinsmen featured in recent NNPC Limited top appointments,” Onanuga said.
The presidential aide accused Ndume of repeatedly engaging in populist rhetoric without regard for verifiable facts, adding that “his habit of firing half-baked criticisms—only to be contradicted by facts—proves he’s more interested in headline-chasing, rabble rousing, and stoking divisive narratives than offering constructive criticism.”
Onanuga reaffirmed the President’s commitment to inclusive governance, saying Tinubu’s appointments are based on merit, integrity, and national spread.
“President Tinubu is deeply committed to fostering a government that embraces all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic or regional affiliations,” he said.
The presidential aide urged Ndume to “elevate public discourse and avoid misinformation and baseless criticism,” warning that such behavior was “a disservice to the nation and the behavior least expected from a Nigerian Senator.”
