Ali Ndume, the former Senate leader, has urged President Bola Tinubu to remove the list of ambassadorial nominations provided to the upper house.
On Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the list and submitted it to the Foreign Affairs Committee for review.
According to Ndume, the list’s composition contradicts the constitutionally mandated federal character concept.
He stated that although some states have three or four nominees, Gombe has none.
Ndume stated that the single nominee from Yobe, Adamu Talba, died in July, and that the entire north-east had seven people on the list.
He stated that the south-west has 15 candidates, while the north-west and south-east have 13 and 9, respectively.
The senator who represents Borno South stated that the north-central has ten nominees and the south-south has twelve.
Ndume said the list violates section 14(3) of the constitution, which mandates federal appointees to represent national diversity.
He described the clause as saying the government must function “in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity”.
The provision also advises against “predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups”.
Ndume asked Tinubu to avoid making actions that might exacerbate ethnic tensions or foster distrust in the country.
He said Tinubu should act carefully “amidst the wrong narrative being promoted by the Western world against his administration”.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list,” Ndume said.
“At this critical time in the life of his administration, he should avoid missteps that could endanger national unity and promote ethnic distrust.”
He hailed Tinubu as “a cosmopolitan leader who is at ease with all segments and stakeholders in the country.”
Ndume believes the president should issue a new list that adheres to the constitution’s federal character idea.
He stated that government selections must reflect the “diverse states and peoples of Nigeria”.
