President Muhammadu Buhari sacked the former Director-General for the Budget Mr. Yahaya Gusau, announced today in a press release from his Senior Special Adviser for Media and Publicity Femi Adesina. The press statement issued by Mr. Adesina expressly states that the new appointment is connected to “officials responsible for budget scandal.”
The Buhari administration has been repeatedly confronted with embarrassing revelations connected to its budget provided to the National Assembly for approval in December 2015. News broke in January 2016 that the Presidency stole the budget from the Senate chambers hours before it was due to be reviewed by Senate members. Interviews with sources by SaharaReporters found that Ita Enang, the Senior Special Adviser to the President for National Assembly Matters (Senate), was involved in this theft and was inconspicuously trying to reintroduce a new budget.
Following this scandal, more details emerged that there were unnecessary and lavish allocations in the budget which provoked outrage on social media and among many National Assembly members. President Buhari stated that he would find the culprits responsible for placing these expenses into the budget without his approval.
Mr. Tijiani Mohammed Abdullahi was appointed to replace Mr. Gusau today, according to Mr. Adesina’s statement.
Additionally, President Buhari approved the appointment of Mr. Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze as the Special Adviser on Planning to the Minister of Budget and National Planning. Mr. Akabueze is not replacing anyone and this is a new role created by President Buhari, according to Mr. Adesina during a phone conversation with our correspondent.
The full press release can be found below:
President Buhari Officials Responsible For Budget Scandal
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Tijjani Mohammed Abdullahi as the Director-General (Budget).
Mr. Abdullahi, a fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria, and a banker of repute with experience in managing public finance, will replace the current Director-General (Budget), Mr. Yahaya Gusau.
The new Director-General (Budget) is expected to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning to efficiently deliver on the mandates of the Budget Office of the Federation.
President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Mr Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze as the Special Adviser on Planning to the Minister of Budget and National Planning.
Mr Akabueze who is the immediate past Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, has worked in senior management positions in Citi Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, NAL Merchant Bank, Sterling Bank and BIA Consulting Limited, among others.
He is Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; Fellow, Institute of Credit Administrators and Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 15, 2015