The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Peter Obi, chairman of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammed and many others may lose their positions.
This followed the compilation, on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, of all appointments made by former President Goodluck Jonathan between April 1 and May 28, 2015. The period represents the two months Jonathan spent in office after losing election to Buhari on March 28.
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.
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.
In the circular, the SGF said some of the appointments carried out in the recent past into vacant positions of Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies were not guided by the various laws establishing them, and were not based on merit.
“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 said.
Arase was appointed in April 21 by President Jonathan following the removal of Suleiman Abba from the office. Obi, former Anambra State Governor, was appointed SEC chairman on April 27, while Mohammed was appointed NAHCON chairman on May 5 and inaugurated May 22 along with other members. They are: Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim, Abdullahi Modibbo Saleh, Ibrahim Ezeani, Adeyemi Ademola Fuad, Enenwary Zikey, Aisha Maidubu Mohammed, Danjuma Salihu Usman and Hajiya Ramatu Bala Usman.
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). President Buhari however reversed Abdullahi’s sack in August by removing Bayero.
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.
Daily Trust reports that between April and May, Jonathan appointed Mr. Olufemi A. Akingbade as Acting Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), after removing Dr Femi Thomas.
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. There 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.
