Ezekwesili backs BudgIT’s Seun Onigbinde on decision to accept appointment into APC govt

Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) in the 2019 general elections, Oby Ezekwesili, has commended Seun Onigbinde for taking up the appointment as the Technical Adviser to the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba.

Seun Onigbinde, Co-founder of BudgIT and a critic of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, had confirmed his appointment on Friday.

In a post on his Medium account, Onigbinde said: “Friends, I have accepted to take up an advisory role underwritten by an international development agency for an initial period of six months. I believe that to guard the reputation of BudgIT, I need to take an operational break and make my new position public.

“In a technical advisory role, I shall be supporting the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, along the issues of budget reform, development planning, and revenue growth.

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“It is similar to a task Joseph Agunbiade (my BudgIT co-founder) and I worked on in 2013–14, under the DFID-FEPAR program for the National Assembly Budget and Research Office.”

While many Nigerians have criticised Onigbinde for accepting the appointment, Ezekwesili on Saturday evening, encouraged him to prove himself in the new role.

In a post on her verified Twitter handle, she said: “@seunonigbinde your passionate love for Nigeria got you into one of the toughest decisions yet of your life.

“If some really knew you, they would never imagine not to talk of write some of what I have read.

“But it’s okay. That technical role is a Test. Go ahead and pass it, Dear.”

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