The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has petitioned the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Wilfred Oyo-Ita, to demand the removal of one of the 21 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Mr. Gabriel Aduda.

In a petition signed by the network’s ‘chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, CSNAC said Aduda is not fit to be a Permanent Secretary, having allegedly, failed the promotional examination for federal civil servants in 2014.

The network’s ‘petition was taken from the Premium Times report of 17th day of August, 2017, on how Aduda, a former official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), failed the promotional examination organised for Federal Civil Servants in 2014, yet has been appointed among the 21 new permanent secretaries by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo on August the 10th, 2017.

In the said report, Mr. Aduda joined EFCC in 2009 and he worked as Head, Strategy and Reorientation Unit of the anti-corruption agency. As he has also served on the Board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

CSNAC said: “According to the Public Service Rules 060203 and 060204, it is mandatory for all administrative, foreign affairs, executive and police officers, along with their counterparts in the para-military and other professionals in the service to pass a compulsory confirmation/promotional examination within two years of their appointments. The rules went a step further to say, any officer who fails to pass the examination after tree attempts or fails to write the exam after three years of his or her first appointment must resign from the service right away.

“After three years of resuming with EFCC, Mr. Aduda was on Grade 15 and he was due for the confirmation examination. In 2012, he wrote the first attempt of the confirmation examination and he failed woefully. Rather than retaking the exam, according to PREMIUMTIMES, he resigned from service and left the commission in January 2013 after a re-mark of his papers, which showed that he performed poorly.

“When he was contacted, he claimed that he was victimised out of the office, and that was why his paper was marked down. But EFCC spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwajaren was reported to have said emphatically that it is not in the policy of the EFCC to victimise any personnel of the Commission, either past or serving. He therefore affirmed that Mr. Aduda indeed failed the promotion examination for that year and chose not to retake it.”

The coalition explained further that, “Exactly six months after his resignation, Mr. Aduda sneaked back into the Federal Civil Service as one of the three beneficiaries of a controversial waiver for the appointment of directors in the Federal Civil Service approved by President Goodluck Jonathan on March the 28th, 2013 for three states identified by the then Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), as under-represented in the federal service.

“The HCSF in a memo presented to then President Jonathan claimed that Bayelsa and Ebonyi states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, were without substantive directors in the Federal Civil Service. As this was one of the state Mr. Aduda comes from.

“In response to the memo, the then President granted presidential approval for qualified indigenes of those states to be hired as directors. Mr. Aduda’s name was criminally smuggled in, as one of the three that qualified to benefit from that Presidential gesture. The others include Famous Eseduwo for Bayelsa, and Idowu Afe for Ebonyi states.”

CSNAC said in June 2013, “to everyone’s amazement, he was named the Director in charge of highly sensitive Economic Research and Policy Management Department (ERPMD) of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“When PREMIUMTIMES questioned the Federal Civil Service Commission (FRSC) on why he was appointed following the earlier circumstances as regard Mr. Aduda, they showed a bold face indifference, claiming that the new appointment was not affected by his previous records at the EFCC.

“It is however important to note that, the privilege the president obliged to satisfying federal character do not mean that merit and qualification should be jettisoned. Where unlawful individuals will be recommended for appointment.

“Mr. Gabriel Aduda has continued to enjoy unlawful benefits as he was recently elevated and inaugurated among the newly appointed 21 Permanent Secretaries on August the 15th, 2017 by Acting President, Yemi Osibajo. Mr. Aduda has since been deployed to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the Political Affairs Department.

“It is in view of the above that we hereby urge your office, in the overriding interest of the country and the urgent need to salvage it from individuals enjoying undue privileges from the state, to urgently initiate the circumstances under which Mr. Aduda was appointed into the service and elevated to his current status. We know you to stand against corruption and injustice.

“We therefore implore you, to use your good office to rid the country of any traces of corruption cankerworms from the nation. We will also implore you to thoroughly review, investigate and prosecute Mr. Gabriel Aduda if found guilty of the allegation. As justice is said to be blind to status or class. We look forward to your usual prompt action and response,” CSNAC said.

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