Reps-elect wants Buhari�s last-minute appointments probed

A House of Representatives member-elect, Philip Agbese, has faulted what he described as �last-minute� appointments by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).

The PUNCH reported on Friday that Buhari approved the appointment of Toyin Madein as the substantive Accountant-General of the Federation.

Aside from the new accountant-general, Buhari has appointed some other officials with some days left for him to hand over.

The President also approved the immediate resumption of the North East Development Commission�s board members despite the Senate yet to approve his nominees.

Reacting to the development, Agbese said the appointments should have been left for the new administration to handle.

Speaking to newsmen on Friday in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress stalwart urged the incoming administration to probe Buhari�s appointment in the last 10 days.

According to him, the last-minute jobs will only cause serious cracks in the civil service and potentially lead to looting and diversion of public funds.

Agbese noted that �Buhari is causing more damage for his successor, compounding the challenges that he had already created with speedy appointments without due progress�.

The member-elect representing Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo Federal Constituency claimed the confirmation of the new accountant-general was done without recourse to the rules and numerous petitions on the ground against the process.

“I am worried by the current appointment spree by the President. It is on record that over 20 new appointments have been made since Bola Tinubu was declared President-elect.

“The recent confirmation of Toyin Madein to a sensitive position of the Accountant General of the Federation with just a few days left to the end of this administration raises many questions. Why the rush? Are they hiding something?”

Quoting from Chapter 6 Part 1 Section 171 of the Constitution, Agbese admitted that the president holds certain powers to appoint and fire public officers.

He, however, said when it was done in a controversial manner, there would be serious cause for concern as in the case of the AGF.

“Even if we pardon the president for rushing to appoint Maiden, what about the latest declaration that the new NEDC board should resume work without confirmation by the Senate? The President has undermined the powers of the legislature, just as he has serially abused the judiciary.

“Again, why the rush? It is clear that the current government is deliberately building up obstacles and roadblocks for Tinubu. They are giving room for chaos and a huge vacuum in governance, potentially opening the doors for massive looting.

“We are aware that these appointments are nothing short of political compensation for loyalists and apparently have nothing to do with competence. At a time when Buhari would have at least left a legacy by cutting the cost of governance, he is dishing out appointments like admission.

“There is an even bigger problem; the illicit award of contracts worth over N3.7tn in the last two months. The incoming administration must probe these scandalous appointments and arrangements”.