Crisis rocks selection process of Auditor General

• Group tasks HoS to preserve institutional reforms

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

Crisis has engulfed the selection process for the position of the Auditor General of the Federation, with the Advocates of Social Justice for All (ASJA) calling on the Head of Service, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, to thoroughly scrutinise the credentials of candidates.

ASJA specifically urged Walso-Jack to critically examine the credentials of the Director of Funds at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, whom it alleged obtained a Master’s Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos within the same timeframe as his Bachelor’s Degree.

Its Executive Director, Dauda Yakubu, in a statement yesterday, claimed that Ogunjimi was not qualified to participate in the process due to discrepancies in his academic records.

He emphasised that the position of Accountant-General of the Federation “is critical to the nation’s public trust and economic health, requiring the highest standards of scrutiny, merit, and ethical consideration.”

He urged Walso-Jack to “reconsider Ogunjimi’s appointment and establish a transparent, merit-based process for selecting the next Accountant-General,” adding that she should “preserve institutional reforms by ensuring that appointments to critical positions should be based on merit, integrity, and transparency.”

According to him, “We believe that the integrity of Nigeria’s financial management system is too important to be compromised by an individual whose competence, integrity, and qualifications are in question.

“Dr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi’s appointment as Acting Accountant-General is a mistake that must be corrected to preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s financial management system.

“We implore your office to act swiftly to guarantee that only the most capable and qualified applicants are taken into consideration for this position. The integrity of this process is crucial to Nigeria’s economic future and the confidence of its people.

“By doing these things, you will not only protect the AG-F office’s reputation but also strengthen public confidence in the government’s dedication to accountability and sound governance.

“We trust that you will give this letter the attention it deserves and act in the best interest of our nation.”