By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency has called Senator Ali Ndume’s claims of ethnic bias in President Bola Tinubu’s recent appointments “hypocritical” and “selective.” It accuses him of twisting facts for political gain.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, fired back in a post on his X handle (@aonanuga1956).
“Senator Ali Ndume’s latest outburst on TV about so-called ‘lopsided appointments’ by President Tinubu reeks of hypocrisy and selective perception,” he wrote.
“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 own senatorial district.”
Onanuga dismissed Ndume’s remarks as attention-seeking.
“The presidential aide dismissed Ndume’s accusations as part of a pattern of ‘headline-chasing’ and ‘rabble-rousing,’ alleging that the senator often makes unfounded statements that are later disproven,” he said.
He stressed Tinubu’s focus on fair governance.
“The President’s appointments are—and will continue to be—based on merit, geographical spread, and a demonstrable capacity to serve the Nigerian people, not Ndume’s cherry-picked tribal arithmetic,” he added.
He urged Ndume to stop spreading misinformation. “He called on Ndume to ‘elevate public discourse’ and desist from what was described as ‘misinformation and baseless criticism,’” Onanuga concluded.