EFCC, FERMA, Other Controversial Appointments by Tinubu
FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been making appointments to different ministries and agencies since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
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Some of the president's appointments have generated controversy among Nigerians either as a result of qualifications or perception.
Source: Twitter
Here is a list of Tinubu’s five controversial appointments as reported by Daily Trust.
EFCC Chairman - Ola Olukoyede
The appointment of Ola Olukoyede as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) generated a lot of controversies.
There has been serious discussion on whether he met the requirements for the position as stipulated by the EFCC Act.
According to the EFCC Act, the anti-graft agency chairman must have been a serving or retired member of any security or law enforcement agency.
The person must also have 15 years of experience and not be below the rank of assistant commissioner of police or its equivalent.
Daniel Bwala, aide to Atiku Abubakar, described Olukoyede’s appointment as “unlawful and illegal,”
He said, “It runs foul of the provisions of Section 2 of the EFCC Act".
However, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Monday Ubani, said Olukoyede was qualified to head the EFCC.
“A lawyer for 22 years and having worked either five or six years in law enforcement agency has garnered that ‘cognate experience’.
NIPOST CEO – Odeyemi
Also, the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer/Post Master General of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Tola Odeyemi, on Friday, was greeted by the workers’ rejection.
They also shut down the head office, stating that they preferred the former CEO, Adeyemi Adepoju.
As reported by New Telegraph, the President of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees, Nehemiah Buba, said “Under Adeyemi Adepoju, NIPOST was able to clear the debt it owed and that is the reason why we are having a smooth process in our service.”
FERMA - 24-year-old Imam
Another Tinubu’s appointment that generated a lot of reactions from Nigeria was that of 24-year-old Imam Ibrahim Kashim Imam as board chairman of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
Some Nigerians have argued that the fresh graduate lacked the experience to manage a federal agency like FERMA.
An X user @Haslawal87 wrote: “Appointing a fresh graduate with no work experience to such a high position is absolutely ill-advised.”
Minister of Arts and Culture – Musawa’s NYSC Certificate
The first controversial appointment made by Tinubu has to be that of Hannau Musawa as Minister of Arts and Culture.
Musawa’s appointment left tongues wagging because she was still undergoing the mandatory one-year national youth service.
Eddy Megwa, director of Public Relations of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), described Musawa’s appointment as a breach of the NYSC Act.
Femi Falana, the renowned lawyer, also said it was a violation of the law for anybody to accept a ministerial appointment while serving in the NYSC.
Solid Minerals Minister – Alake
A lot of Nigerians were surprised when Dele Alake, an expert in information management, was appointed the Minister of Solid Minerals.
The argument was that the Ministry of Solid Minerals with the potential to revive the nation’s economy should have been headed by an expert with cognate experience and not a media expert.
NIPOST Staff Reject Tinubu’s Newly Appointed CEO
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that NIPOST workers protested against the appointment of Odeyemi as the service CEO
The protesting workers shut down the head office in Abuja and denied Odeyemi entrance.
The workers said Odeyemi's appointment was against their wish, stating that they preferred Adeyemi Adepoju, the sacked Post Master-General, and were seen chanting solidarity songs and wielding placards.
Source: Legit.ng
