IGP, SEC, NAHCON bosses face sack

Indications have emerged that a number of heads of government parastatals and agencies who were appointed into office by former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last two months of his stay in office after losing the presidential elections, may be booted out of office.

Among those who may be affected include the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mr Peter Obi, chairman of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammed among many others.

This followed the compilation, on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, of all such appointments made between April 1 and May 28, 2015.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal, in a service wide circular dated September 18, 2015, asked all permanent secretaries to submit the list of all appointments made into all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Commissions or Extra-Ministerial Offices under the supervision of their respective Ministries from April 1, to May 28, 2015.

Reports indicate that they were further directed to ensure that the list gets to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) not later than 30th September, 2015.

The circular noted that some of the appointments were not guided by the various laws establishing them, nor were they based on merit.

It said, “It is in view of the foregoing that, Mr. President directed that all appointments made into executive and non-executive positions (including renewal of tenure) in all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions between the period 1st April, 2015 to 28th May, 2015 should be reviewed.”

It would be recalled, that Arase was appointed in April 21 to succeed Mr Suleiman Abba. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, was appointed to head SEC as chairman on April 27, while Mohammed was appointed NAHCON chairman on May 5 and inaugurated May 22.

After losing election, former President Jonathan also appointed his former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development Mrs Asabe Asmau Ahmed as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) to replace Mrs. Sharon Adefunke Kasali who was sacked. Mr. Denzil Amagbe Kentebe replaced Engineer Ernest Nwapa as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Management Development Board (NCDMB).

Mallam Habib Abdullahi was also made to give way for Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero, who replaced him as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). But President Buhari reversed Abdullahi’s sack in August by removing Bayero.

Read also: Buhari moves to change boards of parastatals, agencies

At SEC, Mounir Gwarzo, who had been acting since the expiration of the tenure of Arunmah Oteh ended in 2014, was confirmed by Jonathan as the Director-General of the commission.

Jonathan also appointed Mr. Olufemi A. Akingbade as Acting Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), after removing Dr Femi Thomas between April and May.

At the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Mrs. Uju Aisha Hassan-Baba was appointed as Executive Secretary after Mrs Saratu Altine Umar was relieved of her appointment.

Jonathan also appointed Mr Bassey Okon Akpanyung as the secretary to the National Planning Commission (NPC).
Before leaving office on May 29, Jonathan had appointed traditional rulers as chancellors for all the 38 federal universities in the country, named former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Ex-minister of State for Defence, Chief Olusola Obada, retired Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiya among chairmen of governing councils of some federal universities.

Few hours before they were to leave office, Alhaji Haruna Sambo and Mr. Babatunde Igun were appointed as executive directors for the Bank of Agriculture. Their appointments were approved on May 28th, but the letters were dated May 27, 2015.

A source in the presidency said it was based on the review that the SGF, Engr. Babachir David Lawal, recently inaugurated an eight-man committee on the reconstitution of all Federal Government Boards of Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions.

The committee headed by the SGF also has Alhaji Mai Mala Buni (North-East), Alhaji Zakari Idde (North-Central), Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir (North-West), Chief Hillard Etagbo Eta (South-South), Chief Pius Akinyelure (South-West), Chief Emmanuel Eneukwa (South-East) as members while Mr. Gideon Sammani is the Secretary.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now