- Says Two Of Your Kinsmen Got NNPC Ltd Top Appointments
- Warns Senator Against Stoking Divisive Narratives
- NSA Advices Nigerians Against Paying Ransom To Kidnappers, Bandits
By Babajide Okeowo and Ilesanmi Adewale
The recent allegation of nepotism levelled against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by Senator Ali Ndume has been met with scathing criticism by the Presidency.
Ndume stirred the hornet’s nest while speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, April 7, 2025 when he accused Tinubu of making appointments which have not reflected the diversity mandated by section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The Senator representing Borno South described the appointments as violations of the constitutional provision of federal character.
In a fiery response to Ndume’s allegations, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, in a statement released on his official X handle on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 said Ndume’s statement on Tinubu’s appointment “reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception”.
The presidential aide said Ndume forgot to mention during his interview that the president recently appointed two of his kinsmen to positions in Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
READ ALSO: Presidency Fires Back At Senator Ndume’s Claims Of Nepotism In Tinubu’s Appointments
“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 wrote.
“The Chairman, appointed by President Tinubu, is from Ndume’s senatorial district. If Tinubu and his surrogates’ choices are so “tribal,” how did two of Ndume’s kinsmen clinch NNPC’s top roles?
“As a politician, Ndume has proven time and time again that he is allergic to facts and addicted to theatrics. His habit of firing half-baked criticisms — only to be contradicted by facts — proves he’s more interested in headline-chasing, rabble rousing, stoking divisive narratives than offering constructive criticism.
“President Tinubu is deeply committed to fostering a government that embraces all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic or regional affiliations. He aims to harness our nation’s diverse strengths to achieve a common goal: building a prosperous Nigeria.
“The President’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, integrity, geographical spread, and a demonstrable capacity to serve the Nigerian people, not Ndume’s cherry-picked tribal arithmetic.
“We urge Ndume to elevate public discourse and avoid misinformation and baseless criticism. This is a disservice to the nation and the behaviour least expected from a Nigerian Senator.”
READ ALSO: Tax Reform Bills Brouhaha: Ndume Blows Hot
In another development, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has appealed to Nigerians to stop paying ransom to kidnappers and bandits.
He made the appeal on Tuesday while receiving 60 kidnapped victimss recently rescued from captivity in Zangon Kataf, Southern Kaduna, following sustained military operations.
The victims were received at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“Please stop giving money to these people, it is the most difficult thing we are facing,” the NSA told Nigerians.
“Many of these people (kidnap victims), their families have given money to these people (kidnappers) but it did not lead to their own release. It is we the security forces that have brought them out.
“It is not the money that they are giving. These people, the more you give, the more you compound the problem for us. We have never given anybody a dime and we don’t want people to do so.”
According to Ribadu, Nigerians aid the activities of kidnappers nationwide if they keep paying ransom.
The NSA attributed the successful rescue of the victims to the efforts and resilience of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies.
“Let me specially commend our armed forces and security services. Their tireless pursuit of these criminals is the reason we are here today,” he noted.
READ ALSO: Your Tax Reform Bills Dead On Arrival, Ndume Bombs Tinubu
Ribadu also acknowledged President Tinubu for his consistent support of the nation’s security architecture. “Thanks to the commitment of Mr. President, we are making progress daily. However, the release of victims is not the end. We will continue to pursue these perpetrators and ensure they face justice.”
The victims, who had been held for over a month, include a Deputy Director in the civil service and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
The group comprised 35 males and 29 females and children.
