In the heat of Nigeria’s often polarized political environment, accusations of ethnic or regional favoritism are never far off.
Recently, claims have surfaced, most notably from Senator Ali Ndume of Borno State, that President Bola Tinubu’s appointments are lopsided in favour of the South. While such remarks may stir public sentiment, they do not stand up to factual scrutiny.
A comparative analysis of 40 top federal appointments under President Tinubu and his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, reveals a more balanced and inclusive pattern than critics claim.
Under President Buhari, the regional spread of key appointments was overwhelmingly tilted towards the North. Out of 40 major federal positions, 36 were held by Northerners, with just 4 positions going to Southerners. This raised genuine concerns about marginalization during his tenure, and these concerns were well documented.
However, under President Tinubu, the trend appears significantly different. The same list of 40 key federal appointments shows that 24 are currently held by Northerners, while 16 are held by Southerners, a much more balanced distribution.
LET'S EXAMINE THIS CLOSELY THROUGH THE PROVIDED LIST:
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, remains a Northern appointment under both Buhari and Tinubu, maintaining consistency in that office.
The Chief of Staff, COS, however, shifted from the North under Buhari to the South under Tinubu.
The Accountant General, AMCON leadership, EFCC, DSS, and Police—all of which were previously occupied by Northerners under Buhari—are now in the hands of Southerners under Tinubu, reflecting a deliberate effort to bridge the past imbalance.
A number of other notable offices also changed regional hands:
The Air Force shifted from the South under Buhari to the North under Tinubu.
The Army switched from North to South.
The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, flipped from South to North.
The Navy, previously led by the North, is now headed by someone from the South.
This back-and-forth clearly shows a give-and-take that was missing under the Buhari administration. Tinubu’s appointment choices seem to show an awareness of Nigeria’s regional sensitivities.
In the realm of intelligence and security, the North continues to hold offices such as the Director of Military Intelligence, DMI, Director of Defence Intelligence, DIA, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, and State Security Services, SSS/DSS,—although the DSS under Tinubu is now headed by a Southerner. This is noteworthy, given how security leadership has traditionally been a Northern stronghold.
When it comes to major regulatory agencies like NCC, NCS, NDLEA, NFIU, NHIS, NIS, NNPC, NPA, NSCDC, NTA, NUC, and NYSC, most of these remain under Northern control under Tinubu.
However, Southerners now lead crucial bodies like the PTDF, FIRS, NIMC, BOA, and NIMASA, which shows effort toward regional inclusion in technocratic and economic sectors.
It is also significant that under Tinubu, Southerners continue to lead both the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Head of Service, HOS,—positions that had previously gone South under Buhari, too.
Now consider these figures: Buhari’s appointments were 90 percent Northern (36 out of 40), while Tinubu’s reflect a Northern/Southern ratio of roughly 58:42. While not perfectly even, Tinubu’s administration is far more regionally representative. Such efforts deserve recognition, not distortion.
The charge of lopsidedness appears to be politically motivated, particularly as the data proves otherwise. The accusation that Tinubu is favouring the South ignores the many strategic positions still occupied by Northerners. In fact, with 23 key posts going to the North, the region still retains a majority—just not an overwhelming one.
What Tinubu seems to be doing differently is attempting to create a more equitable federal structure where every part of the country sees itself reflected in governance. The appointments so far show inclusivity without alienating any region, especially the North, which continues to hold majority representation.
At a time when Nigeria is grappling with economic reform, security challenges, and the urgent need for national unity, inflaming regional grievances based on unverified assumptions does more harm than good.
The facts laid bare in this analysis demonstrate that President Bola Tinubu is not favoring Southerners at the expense of Northerners. Rather, his administration is attempting to strike a fairer balance, one that corrects the over-centralization seen in the recent past while promoting national cohesion.
Is Tinubu’s Appointment Truly Lopsided? The Data Says Otherwise