House to Meet Malami over Controversy Trailing Appointment of New AuGF

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has resolved to interface with the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, over the lingering controversy on seniority amongst 10 top officials on Director Cadre to fill the vacant position of the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF).

The Committee chaired by Hon. Wole Oke, took the decision after the representative of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Okonkwo Udoh, made a submission before it on the matter.

The Committee had at its last sitting summoned the Head of Service, Folashade Esan, to appear before it to clarify the issue.
Speaking on the development, Oke said the selection processes would have to be put on hold to allow for due consultations on the contending issues including interface with the Attorney General of the Federation for Legal interpretation.

He said, “Why are they so in hurry now? There’s no provision for the office of the Auditor General of the Federation to be run by a Director, it is illegal.
“The Director occupying that office cannot perform the constitutional roles of the Auditor General of the Federation. We are having backlog of audited accounts of the Federation for the 2020, 2021, 2022 which are yet to be laid before the National Assembly because of the absence of a substantive Auditor General of the Federation who is to sing them.

“We as a Committee go through the submissions before us, consult with the Attorney General of the Federation before we arrive at our final decision on the matter that will be acceptable to all the parties involved.”
The aggrieved directors in their submissions urged the Committee to look critically into the issue based on existing laid down civil service rules and regulations.

They also urged the lawmakers to be guided by the provisions of the civil service to prevent manipulation of the selection processes.