A group under the auspices of the Pro-Impact Initiative has raised an alarm over what it terms “calculated attempts by a few sit-tight directors to blackmail the Accountant-General of the Federation,” Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.
The group is concerned that these attempts may derail her from carrying out much-needed reforms and cleansing at the Treasury House.
The group points out that these few directors, largely affected and displeased by the recent posting exercise, which was carried out with the noblest of intentions and in compliance with relevant civil service rules, are hell-bent on forcing the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, out of office to allow them to continue calling the shots.
The coordinator of the group, Dr Osamudiamen Isokpehi, who briefed newsmen in Abuja, stated, “Those few directors behind these acts appear not to understand the extent to which they have exposed their self-centeredness and shallow-mindedness in the said petitions written against an Amazon of repute and personally distributed them to media organisations to destroy her hard-earned reputation.”
The group emphasises, “These self-serving few directors, who apparently checked the books and found no case of fraud against her, have decided not to back down but to continue their endless search for evidence and allegations to get her out of office.”
“To start with, how can these directors accuse the Accountant-General of not being qualified for the position because they claim she came in second during the rigorous interview and examination attended by multiple directors who applied and sat for the exam?” Dr Isokpehi questioned
Dr Isokpehi explained, “The process of selecting the Accountant General of the Federation is as follows: after a rigorous examination, some names are shortlisted based on their overall performance.
The shortlisted names are forwarded to the President and Commander-in-Chief, who reserve the right to select any candidate from the list.”
He further asked, “Why is this examination issue coming up several months later? Why at a time after the Accountant General carried out a reformative posting exercise during which she moved ‘untouchable Directors of the Agency’ who believed they were ‘Principalities and Powers’ in their offices?”
Dr Isokpehi called on the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, to “disregard their frivolous petitions and focus his strength on the actualisation of a vibrant economy under President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
These characters, we believe, are part of those who brought the nation to where it is today.”
Meanwhile, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, has been enjoined not to be distracted in the discharge of her duty but to remain resolute in the face of challenges.
A civil society group, the Nigeria Women Professional Alliances (NWPA), took charge during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja.
The spokesperson for the group, Mrs. Christine Ezekwe, said they decided to come out and voice their position following what they termed “unprovoked attacks against a woman who is just doing her professional, noble job.”
Mrs Ezekwe explained, “We read in some sections of the media that some directors wrote petitions against the Accountant General of the Federation, claiming she was not qualified to hold the position.
How on earth would people who have seen her progress in her career as a well-bred professional wake up one day to fabricate such a gruesome lie?”
“When Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein was appointed the Accountant General of the Federation, there was joy and high expectations across all facets of Nigeria, regardless of gender, religious, or ethnic affiliation.
Her emergence gave hope to millions of young girls across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT that they could aspire to any position in Nigeria. Today, a few men woke up, wrote petitions, and wanted to tarnish her image for not dancing to their tunes.”
The group appealed to the Accountant General to remember she is an ambassador of the Nigerian woman and to go about her duty passionately to actualize the dreams of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
They lamented, “One thing we find really disturbing is the fact that women in positions of authority go through a lot. Many just believe that because they are women, they cannot make certain tough decisions or be their boss.
Some can endure incompetence and non-performance from anyone, but when it comes to women working upright in the discharge of their duties, they get very offended.”
Mrs Ezekwe pointed out that at a time when Nigerian women are clamouring for more seats in governance, they cannot watch their unacceptable few numbers depleted by some persons who “have left their offices to start chasing shadows.”
The group’s spokesperson said, “It is time for these few directors who were affected by the recent postings done by the Accountant General to accept their new offices and let the Accountant General breathe.”
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