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Omeiza Ajayi

Gender rights advocate, Nigeria Women Professional Alliances NWPA and groups under the aegis of Pro-Impact Initiative have raised the alarm over what they described as calculated attempts by some top civil servants to blackmail the Accountant-General of the Federation AGF, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, in order to derail her from carrying out much needed reforms and cleansing in the “Treasury House”.

The groups pointed out that some directors who were largely affected and displeased by the recent posting exercise in the agency are hell-bent on seeing that Dr Madein is forced out of office to allow them continue to call the shots.

Coordinator of Pro-Impact Initiative, Dr Osamudiamen Isokpehi who briefed journalists at the weekend in Abuja said; “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 which they personally distributed to media organizations to destroy her hard-earned reputation.

“These self-serving few directors who have apparently checked the books and found no case of fraud against her decided not to back down but 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 second during the rigorous interview and examination attended by multiple directors who applied and sat for the exam?

“The process of selecting the Accountant General of the Federation is; after a rigorous examination, some names are shortlisted according to their overall performances; the shortlisted names are forwarded to the President and Commander-in-Chief who reserves the right to select any candidate from the list.

“Why is this examination issue coming up several months after? 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 are ‘Principalities and Powers’ in their offices ?”, he queried.

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 actualization of a vibrant economy, under the president Bola Tinubu renewed hope agenda. These characters, we believe are part of those who brought the nation to where it is today “

On its part, the Nigeria Women Professional Alliances, condemned the “unprovoked attacks against a woman who is just doing her professional, noble job”

Spokesperson of the group, Mrs Christine Ezekwe said the women decided to come out and voice their position to protect a woman who is being blackmailed for discharging her mandate.

Mrs Ezekwe explained that, “we read in some sections of the media that some directors wrote a petition against the Accountant General of the Federation claiming she was not qualify to be on the seat. How on earth will people who see her progress in her career as a well-bred professional wake up one day to fabricate such 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 can aspire to any position in Nigeria. Today, few men woke up, wrote petitions and wanted to paint her black for not dancing to their tunes”.

The group appealed to the Accountant General to remember she is an ambassador of the Nigerian women and go about her duty passionately to actualize the dreams of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

They lamented that, “ 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 take 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 government they cannot watch their unacceptable few number depleted by some persons who , “have left their offices to start chasing shadows”

The group spokesperson said, “ it is time these few directors who were affected by the recent postings done by the Accountant General accept their new offices and let the Accountant General breath”.