…writes Tinubu, NASS, SGF,
…demands immediate realignment
A Coalition for Transparent Governance and Equity in Nigeria (CTGEN)], has raised an alarm over alleged siege in Federal Civil Service Appointments declaring meritocracy was sacrificed for mediocrity. 
In a letter addressed to the President Bola Ahmed TInubu, the Secretary to Government of the Federation and the National Assembly demanded for an urgent realignment of appointments made that were dangerously skewed.
Read full letter below:
We write this rejoinder in solidarity with the Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association (ACIPA) and in response to their poignant open letter dated November 6, 2025, which has ignited a national discourse on the alarming state of fairness in federal appointments.
The recent approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 4, 2025, of five new Permanent Secretaries—namely, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulkarim Ozi (Federal Capital Territory), Mr. Ezemama John Chidiebere (Imo State), Mr. Garba Abdul Sule Usman (North Central), Mr. Mohammed Ishiyaku (North East), and Mr. Ukaire Chigbowu (South East)—has not only validated ACIPA’s allegations of religious persecution but also exposed deeper systemic rot: the blatant sacrifice of competence for favoritism and undue influence.
ACIPA’s revelation—that a highly qualified Christian candidate from the North East, who topped the selection process with an impressive 83% score across the rigorous interviews, was unceremoniously sidelined in favor of a Muslim counterpart scoring a mere 54%—is not an isolated grievance but a damning indictment of institutionalized bias against Northern Christians in the civil service.
This decision mocks the principles of equity enshrined in Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, and undermines the federal character principle under Section 14(3). It perpetuates a narrative of marginalization that erodes trust in governance and fuels ethnic-religious tensions in an already fragile federation.
Compounding this outrage is the procedural irregularity and nepotistic underbelly of the process. Out of 78 candidates who applied for these pivotal positions, only 37 advanced to the ICT proficiency tests and oral interviews—a commendable filter emphasizing merit. Yet, the final shortlist of five appointees reveals a shocking departure from career progression norms.
None of the selected individuals are seasoned career administrators, a cadre traditionally prioritized for Permanent Secretary roles to ensure institutional continuity and expertise in public administration. Instead, the appointees comprise ,three medical doctors, one veterinary doctor, one accountant, and another with accounting background—professionals whose specialized skills, while valuable, do not align with the administrative demands of steering federal ministries.
This anomaly raises grave questions: Were the career administrators, who likely dominated the top scores, systematically “dropped” to accommodate external pressures?
Particularly egregious is the case of the North East appointee, Mr. Mohammed Ishiyaku, who reportedly did not even feature in the final 10 names submitted for presidential consideration by the Head of the Civil Service.
Credible reports indicate his elevation stems from intense lobbying by his sibling, Hajiya Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, who made two high-profile visits to Nigeria ostensibly to champion his candidacy. Such overt nepotism—leveraging international stature for domestic gain—besmirches Nigeria’s global image and contravenes the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, which demands impartiality and prohibits abuse of influence. It is no exaggeration to say that the Federal Civil Service, once a bastion of professionalism, now lies in a comatose state, where competence is routinely sacrificed on the altar of favoritism, leaving the nation adrift in inefficiency and corruption.
This pattern is not novel; it echoes previous outcries of religious and zonal imbalances in appointments, as highlighted by ACIPA’s ongoing advocacy against the “systematic exclusion” of Northern Christians.
If unaddressed, it risks deepening divisions, stifling talent, and derailing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which promises inclusive and merit-driven governance.
We therefore demand the following immediate actions:
1. Independent Inquiry: Establish a high-powered, transparent panel—comprising representatives from the National Assembly, civil society, and the Nigerian Bar Association—to investigate the selection process, including score sheets, shortlisting criteria, and any external influences. The panel’s report must be public within 30 days.
2. Reversal and Redress: Suspend the appointments pending the inquiry’s outcome and reinstate the sidelined high-scoring candidates, particularly the 83% Christian contender, to uphold meritocracy.
3. Reforms: Enact binding guidelines mandating at least 70% weightage to interview scores in future appointments, with mandatory disclosure of candidate profiles and rationales. Strengthen whistleblower protections to expose nepotism.
4. Accountability: Prosecute any officials found complicit in bias or undue influence, as per the Public Service Rules and Anti-Corruption laws.
Your Excellencies, the eyes of 200 million Nigerians—and the world—are upon this administration. We urge you to seize this moment not as a crisis, but as a catalyst for restoring faith in our institutions. Silence or inaction will only embolden the forces of division and mediocrity.
We remain committed to peaceful advocacy and are available for dialogue. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed
Cc:
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
Media Houses and International Observers (Amnesty International, Transparency International, etc.)
