North East Group Wants Tinubu to Appoint New Auditor General

The North East Peoples Solidarity Front(NEPSF), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve the recommendation of the Federal Civil Service Commission(FCSC) for the post of Auditor General for the Federation

The Federal Civils Service Commission had completed the process for appointment of a new Auditor General for the Federation since May 11 and immediately forwarded its recommendation to the Presidency.

However, the out-going President, Muhammadu Buhari did not act on the matter before his administration’s tenure came to an end on May 29.

In a letter addressed to the President, signed by the organisation ‘s President, Comrade Godwin Mchiv and Secretary, Mahmood Rufai, the group said it had reliable information that the recruitment process conducted by the Federal Service Commission produced a candidate from the Taraba State, North East geo- political zone, who came top of the exercise.

“Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution and other public service rules and regulations, the Federal Civil Service Commission(FCSC) advertised for the vacant position and interested candidates applied for the post.

“ The Commission thereafter, organised a rigorous recruitment process including written examinations, computer-based test and security screening among others.

“We were reliably informed by various sources that on the basis of their performance, the applicants were eliminated at various stages until the final stage, where three candidates emerged and were accordingly recommended in the order of merit to the President for subsequent appointment and confirmation by the Senate as required by the Law.

“ From our findings, the candidates recommended in order of merit include: Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira-Taraba(North East); Valentine Chikwe-Imo (South East) and Mrs Dabel Jihatu-Plateau(North central)

“We were informed by our sources that the recommendation was made to the President by the FCSC. However, the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari did not act on the matter until the expiration of its tenure on 29th May, 2023” the letter said in part.

According to the association, it was worried that that there were some subterranean moves to frustrate the process already concluded by the Federal Civil service Commission.

“It is in the bid to arrest this unpatriotic and unacceptable situation that we have been compelled to bring this matter to the attention of Mr President.

“ We are conscious of your unrivalled credentials as a democrat and a leader filled with empathy and imbued with great sense of justice.

“It is on this premise that we wish to bring to your attention the issue that is of paramount concern and interest to us –The appointment of a new Auditor General for the Federation and to make a passionate appeal for your immediate intervention in the interest of justice, fairness, unity and peace in the Public service,” the the group further said.

The Office of the Auditor General for the Federation is a creation of the 1999 Constitution as amended in section 85 and 86, which provides that there shall be an Auditor General for the Federation, whose functions are clearly spelt out in the aforementioned sections of the Constitution.

Similarly, the process of appointment of an occupant of the office is also clearly outlined in the above mentioned sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The office became vacant on September 7, 2022 following the retirement of the occupant of the office from public service.

The group urged President Tinubu to note that “the recruitment process for the position of Auditor General for the Federation was advertised and the candidates sat for the examination and after a thorugh, transparent and keenly contested process, the best candidates were recommended in order of merit “

It further informed the President that the North East geo-political Zone has never occupied the position of Auditor General for the Federation(AuGF) since independence, whereas the South West has produced Six occupants;

South East, two occupants; South South, three occupants and North Central, one occupant, while the North East and North West have never produced any occupant for the office.

“It will be in the greater interest of the country, justice and fairness that the position of Auditor General for the Federation is filled by the North East, which has never produced an occupant for the position since independence.

“ We fervently appeal to Mr President to intervene in the recruitment process of a new Auditor General for the Federation to stop the undue influence and manipulation by some vested interests.

“ We appeal to Mr President to approve and forward the name of the best candidate recommended to the Senate for confirmation as Auditor General for the Federation based on merit since he came top in the recruitment process.

“ We appeal to Mr President to favour the North East since the North Central has produced the position before and the North West had no candidate among the three recommended by the Federal Civil Service Commission.

“We wish to thank Mr President in anticipation of your fatherly intervention in this matter as the appointment of the most qualified candidate will go a long way to support the administration’s declared commitment to probity and transparency in the management of the nation’s public finances,” the organisation stressed.