By JACOB KUBEKA, Abuja –
Unless the Presidency or the National Assembly quickly wades into the issue of appointment a new Auditor-General for the Federation (AGF), the serious crisis that has greeted the announcement of Mr. Julius Michael Isiuku as the acting occupant of the office may tear the nation’s federal civil service into apart.
The brewing in the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF) followed moves by the Federal Civil Service Commission to appoint a new AGF through the backdoor.
NATIONAL ACCORD reliably learnt that the present occupant of the office, Adolphus Aghughu, is due to retire from public service on September 7, 2022 in compliance with the extant civil service rules having attained 60 years of age.
As gathered, based on the extant Federal Civil Service Rules, an acting AGF should be appointed out of the three most senior Directors in the office.
The nominal role of the OAGF, according to findings, showed Messrs Onwudili A.O(Delta); Gabriel S. Gbayan (Benue) and O.A. Ogundowo (Ondo), as that the three most senior Directors in the office.
A source with deep knowledge of the office, intimated our correspondent that names of the three most senior Directors had earlier been recommended to the Presidency for appointment into the office being vacated by Aghughu in acting capacity since the process to appoint a substantive occupant to the position was yet to be consummated.
Section 86 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended expressly vests the powers to appoint an acting AGF in the President.
The section states Categorically that: “The Power to appoint persons to act in the office of the Auditor – General shall vest in the President.”
It is, however, being observed that in a seeming contravention of this constitutional provision, the Federal Civil Service Commission on September 6, 2022 unilaterally appointed an acting AGF, Isiuku.
In a circular with reference No: FCSC/ PS/31/Bolton.II/283 dated September 6, 2022 with the title ” Retirement of Auditor General for the Federation,” the Commission announced Mr Julius Michael Isiuku as the acting AGF.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Dr Mary Ogbe, said: “I am directed to congratulate you on your service to the nation and wish you successful retirement life.
“As you retire on Wednesday, 7th September, 2022, you are kindly directed to handover to the most senior Director, Mr Julius Michael Isiuku to oversee the affairs of the office of the Auditor General for the Federation pending the appointment of an Auditor General of the Federation,” Dr. Ogbe said.
NATIONAL ACCORD reliably gathered that the appointment is now generating a major crisis as the out- going AGF may have refused to hand over to Isiuku on the grounds that the FCSC is not only incompetent to make the appointment, but also that Isiuku is the 5th on the Nominal Roll and therefore, not among the three most senior Directors.
It was learnt that the Office of the Head of Federal Civil Service of the Federation had in a letter dated 18th July, 2022 with reference No: HCSF/ SPSO/ ODd/ E&WP/ 64421/ 166 addressed to the AGF thrashed out the issue of seniority of Directors of the office.
The letter titled ” Re: Intervention on the Determination of Seniority Among the Directors” signed by BOC Amogo, Director (Organisation Design and Development) for the Head of Service stated as follows: “I am directed to refer to your letter Ref. NO. GEN/EMAD/ CORR/ 2020/ 55 dated 28th March 2022 on the above subject and convey the reviewed seniority list amongst the five Directors (Audit) in your office as follows:
(1) Mr Andrew Ogochukwu Onwudili, (2) Shirwa Gabriel Gbayan, (3) Mrs Adeoti Oluseyi Ogundowo,(4) Mrs Ngozi Eucharia Ugwu, (5) Mr Jukius Michael Isiuku”.
It was further earnt that the Civil Service Commission ignored this communication and proceeded to make the appointment of the 6th person in the Nominal Roll.
Following this development, an obviously enraged Aghughu was said to have refused to hand over the office to Isiuku saying he would not be party to the “illegal appointment.”
One of our correspondent also learnt from a source close to the out- going AGF told that Aghughu locked his office on Tuesday, a day before the expiration of his office and left without a word.
Following this development, the workers Union was said to have joined in the controversy as it threatened to prevent anybody from illegally occupying the office unless approved by the President.
A member of the union who wanted to remain anonymous told our correspondent that since the outgoing AGF, Aghughu hails from Edo State(South South) just like his predecessor, Ayine A.M who hails from Cross River (South South), the Acting AGF should come from the North, saying that Mr Gabriel S. Gbayan ought to have occupied the office in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive AGF by the President in six Months as provided in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Although none of the most senior Director earlier mentioned could be reached for comments on the development, our source insisted the way out of the current situation would be for President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise the full powers of his office by appointing an acting AGF from the three most senior Directors already recommended to him and warn the Federal Civil Service Commission from meddling into Constitutional matters, where it had no powers.
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