The National Intervention Group of Nigeria has accused the Head of Civil Service of the Federation of corruption in the appointment of a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation.
This accusation was contained in an open letter by the group to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), which was obtained by our correspondent.
The letter was signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Akinloye Oyeniyi.
It read in part, “In the interest of our dear country, Nigeria, her smooth running and supremacy of Section 1(2) of the 1999 Constitution, we, National Intervention Group of Nigeria, hereby respectively write Your Excellency on the above subject.
“In accordance with Your Excellency’s directive conveyed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 16th June 2022, the process of appointing a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation commenced.
“Sir, it is on note that in line with that directive, a service-wide circular was issued inviting eligible directors (accountants) on Grade Level 17 in the pool of Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to apply; and one of the criteria for the aspiring applicants is that such must have held the position of director for not less than two years and have not less than two years left in service.”
It further noted that the criteria were adequately followed, with eight aspiring directors said to be qualified for appointment as the substantive Accountant-General of the Federation.
On the alleged involvement of the head of service in the appointment process, the group said, “Ordinarily, having concluded the process of selection, the next stage should be the appointment of the substantive Accountant-General of the Federation from the qualified directors, but we learnt the Head of Service of the Federation, in gross disregard for Your Excellency’s earlier directive and subsisting criteria for selection, has proposed that the process be extended to the first quarter of 2023 to accommodate an unqualified interest who became director in 2021 and also allow the director currently overseeing the exalted office, Mr Okolieaboh Sylva, who is due for retirement, to be appointed in acting position for that office.
“Sir, according to the Head of Service of the Federation’s proposal, it then means the almost completed process would be stalled until the first quarter of 2023 when the interested candidate would be qualified to take over from Mr Sylvia: A corrupt practice which will dab indelible dirt on your integrity and your government’s anti-corruption drive.”
The group urged the president to disregard the HoS’ request and appoint a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation from the pool of the qualified candidates already screened.
It also urged the president to probe the activities of the Head of Service of the Federation in the selection process.
