The Presidency has strongly countered the recent claims made by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume of Borno South, labeling his remarks on alleged ethnic bias in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointments as “hypocritical and selective.”
In a scathing rebuttal issued on Tuesday evening, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, accused Senator Ndume of political grandstanding and deliberate distortion of facts.
“Senator Ndume’s latest outbursts on television about so-called ‘lopsided appointments’ by President Tinubu reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception,” Onanuga declared, challenging the Senator’s credibility and motives.
He pointedly reminded the public that President Tinubu has, in fact, appointed key figures from Ndume’s home base to significant positions. “While he grandstands as a moral authority on equity, he failed to mention that two of his kinsmen were recently appointed to top roles in NNPC Limited. The Chairman, appointed by President Tinubu, hails from Ndume’s senatorial district,” the presidential spokesman stated.
The Presidency further dismissed Ndume’s remarks as part of a familiar pattern of “headline-chasing” and “rabble-rousing,” accusing the Senator of consistently making claims that do not withstand factual scrutiny.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to fairness and competence, Onanuga stressed that President Tinubu’s appointments are driven by merit, inclusivity, and a commitment to national development—not by tribal arithmetic or political noise.
“President Tinubu’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, geographical spread, and a demonstrable capacity to serve the Nigerian people,” he asserted.
He concluded with a call for decorum and integrity in public discourse, urging leaders like Ndume to shun misinformation and unsubstantiated criticism.
“It is high time we elevated our national conversations and refrained from engaging in divisive and baseless commentaries that only serve to inflame tensions,” Onanuga emphasized.