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Accountability Watchdog Urges Tinubu To Cancel Promotion Exams For Perm Secs … Lament irregularities

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to immediately ‘cancel and review’ the recently conducted promotion exams from Directorship cadre to Permanent Secretary over controversies and irregularities.
A civil society organization, Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) raised the alarm in a press statement signed and issued by its Convener, Femi Lawson at the end of an extended executive meeting Friday in Abuja.
The accountability watchdog says it is calling for total cancellation of the entire process after keenly following the recently concluded promotion exams from Directorship cadre to Permanent Secretary and having seen it was marred with controversies, interest and underhand dealings.
The group also accused the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Dr. Folasade Yemi- Esan of attempting to plant her stooges and having a hidden agenda to influence the outcome of the exercise from inception.
Adding that most of the qualified Directors had expressed lack of confidence, bias, non-transparency and no trust in the Examiner Committee which was set up by the Head of Service.
It will be recalled that, 85 Directors from 5 states of the federation under two zones, namely North Central and North East zone sat for promotion exams on the 6th of November, 2023, with results released on the 7th of November, 2023.
Part of the statement reads: “It was reliably gathered that long before this exercise, there has been complaint about the composition of the Examiners, as most of them are stooges of Head of Service under whose authority this exam was conducted with hidden agenda to influence the outcome from inception.
Most of the qualified Directors has expressed their lack of confidence, bias, non-transparency no trust in the said Examiner Committee because it was opined that, the Head of Service has interest in who to make pass the said exam, but despite this the exam was still conducted under serious controversy of lack of independence of the Examiners body set up by the Head of Service.
As a result of this long time controversy and lack of trust in the exercise, 4 of the qualified Directors refused to show up, nor write the said exam. Just as observed, out of the total number of 85 that eventually sat for the test, only 20 were listed to have passed the so called exam with 50% above while the rest were said to have failed.
This outcome further shows the level of failure and unpreparedness of the Directors, and one wonders why some of those that passed had a record of several attempts before passing the Directorship cadre exams, but surprisingly some of them passed this at one sitting.
This further buttresses what was earlier raised by the absentee directors and others that sat for the exam for sake of following laid down rules.
We will recall that the entire Examination process started during Oransanye period as Head of Service, and ever since the system has been adopted. But we noticed that there is no Year this was done that is not marred with controversy bringing the entire process to serious disrepute. The renewed hope mantra must review this, and ensure that best practices are restored to the entire process.
As a watchdog of the society, ensuring that the nation gets it right from inception of this regime we thus call for total cancellation of the whole exercise and if to be re- conducted a consulting firm should be made to set and supervise the entire exam process. By doing so, there will be transparency and trust in the said process and the nation will be the one to benefit.
This we believe will go in line with the marching order of performance given by President Tinubu during the Ministers retreat and the newly laid down performance index rule.
As concerned members of the society, we issue this statement as a Pre-warning for the entire exercise to be reviewed before we call for mass action to press home our demand and call for public accountability and transparency in conduct of public activities as seen in the recently concluded exercise,” the statement read.
News
PANDEF Clarifies Visit To Tinubu, Knocks Wike Over Inflammatory Comments

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike to retract his publicly disparaging remarks made recently against the socio-political body.
PANDEF described as regrerrable and embarrassing comments by Wike in the aftermath of the group’s visit to Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, even to the extent of insulting the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin.
Recall that the FCT minister had, on Thursday, during a media chat, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.
In a statement signed by PANDEF Chairman on Saturday in Abuja, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, urged President Tinubu as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent.
Igali clarified that the meeting with the president provided a valuable platform to discuss pressing issues of national and regional importance. Adding that “PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region.”
His words: ^To set the record straight, PANDEF the foremost socio-political body representing the South-South regions, composed of some of Nigeria’s most distinguished personalities. The delegation to Mr. President included chairpersons of at least four of the six SouthSouth states’ traditional councils, senior traditional rulers of major ethnic groups, former governors, past presiding officers of the Senate, prominent entrepreneurs, academics, and high-ranking retired military officers.
“It is, therefore, highly regrettable and totally unacceptable that a serving minister in the Federal Government would exhibit such brazen disrespect towards individuals of this standing. This attitude perhaps explains his continued refusal of the Minister to engage with the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which PANDEF constituted as far back as October 2024, despite repeated attempts to reach.
“The Honourable Minister (Wike) characterized PANDEF as the worst organization ever” and accused its members of visiting the Presidential Villa merely to solicit financial favors. These statements are not only false but also unbecoming of a public official of his stature.
“PANDEF hereby calls upon Mr. President, as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent Nigerians and traditional rulers who were, after all, esteemed guests of the Commander-in-Chief. It is apt to remind that the Minister does not own the Niger-Delta and his errant conduct should not be condoned.
“Notwithstanding this regrettable development, PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region,” Igali stated.
On efforts to restore peace in River State, Igali restated PANDEF’s commitment for peace in the oil-rich State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which remains committed to resolving the Rivers State crisis,” Igali stated.
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