Nigeria’s Accountant General, Nwabuoku On His Way Out

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, AGoF may be on his way out barely a month after President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him into that office.

The Acting AGOF was appointed on May 22, 2022 following the suspension of Ahmed Idris for allegedly stealing over N80 billion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“Mr. Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku has been appointed to oversee the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, pending the outcome of the EFCC investigation of the suspended AGF, Ahmad Idris,” Bashir Ahmed, Buhari’s former aide said last month on Nwabuoku’s  appointment.

But,  it appears his tenure will be shortlived following the administration’s decision not to confirm him as the substantive AGOF.

The government has commenced the process of replacing him amidst report that he’s also under Investigation of the Anti-graft agency. The magazine has been unable to confirm his graft status with EFCC, neither has it been able to find out whether the decision to replace him is based on his alleged probe by the anti-graft commission.

In a memo sent by President Buhari to the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, the president directed that the post be advertised for qualified civil servants to apply.

The circular, with reference number HCSF/PS/CMO/193/03, directed all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1st January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024, to apply.

The circular, however, stated that Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded from the exercise.
Sources told the magazine that the current AGOF will not apply due to his alleged problem with the EFCC. “If he does, he will not be interviewed until he clears his name with EFCC for alleged corruption. The government does not want the new AGOF to be associated with any baggage following the experience with Idris. We are trying to start on a clean slate” a presidential source said on Wednesday.

According to the circular, “Following the approval of Mr. President. the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is commencing the process of the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation from eligible Directors (Accountant) in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation.

“Consequently, all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1* January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024 are eligible to participate in the exercise.

“Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are however excluded from the exercise. Permanent Secretaries are therefore requested to forward the following to facilitate the process: List of eligible Directors on SGL. 17; confidential and personal files of all eligible Directors; five copies of Curriculum Vital of each of the eligible Directors; brief on each of the eligible Directors in the attached format to be produced in Microsoft Word and in both Hard (5 copies} and soft copies.”
Meanwhile, the president directed in the circular that all the required documents must get to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on or before 4:00pm on Wednesday July 6, 2022.