Buhari ordered the immediate sacking of Professor Haruna on Tuesday.
The dismissed Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Professor Mohammed Sani Haruna, has allegedly refused to hand over to the next most senior officer in the agency, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.
Buhari ordered the immediate sacking of Professor Haruna on Tuesday.
His sacking followed the discovery that Buhari had wrongly granted him a two-year tenure extension even though he had completed two terms of five years each.
The development follows the reversal of the President's extension of office from April 2nd, 2023 to April 2nd, 2025 after it was realised that Haruna had completed two five-year tenures in the organisation.
The Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Willie Bassey, who disclosed this in a statement issued Tuesday night said Prof Haruna had been directed “to immediately hand over his office to the next most senior officer in the establishment”.
However, sources in NASENI on Wednesday told SaharaReporters that following Haruna’s removal, he flouted the President’s directive by refusing to hand the office over to the most senior officer because they are alleged not on good terms.
According to an internal memo signed by Prof Haruna and obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the former executive vice chairman informed the staff that he had decided to hand over to Mrs Nonyem Onyechi.
The memo reads in part, “The EVC of NASENI reports directly to Mr. President by virtue of PART I, SECTION 1 (2) of the NASENI establishment act, 2004 CAPN3 which has been the practice.
“While the management seeks clarifications from the Presidency on the two letters, I urge you to remain calm, be law-abiding and continue to perform your assigned tasks without hesitations.
“Meanwhile, for the avoidance of doubt and for the stability of NASENI, the Coordinating Director (Planning and Business Development), Mrs Nonyem Onyechi, who is the most senior Coordinating Director will be overseeing the affairs of NASENI pending further directives.”
However, sources in the establishment told SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning that the woman is not the most senior officer currently in the agency and should not be appointed to control the agency's affairs pending further directives from the government.
According to them, Prof Haruna shunned the next most senior officer because he has not been supporting his administration, particularly the initial extension of his tenure.
They identified the next most senior officer as Engr. Professor Danshehu Bagudu Gwadangaji, Coordinating Director, Engineering Infrastructure.
On the agency’s website, SaharaReporters observed that Mrs Onyechi’s picture and profile top the page for Coordinating Directors & STA, followed by those of Gwadangaji. But sources insist that Gwadangaji is the next most senior after the dismissed Haruna.
One of the sources said, “The man doesn’t want to leave; he wants to stay put.
“He refused to hand over to the correct person because the person is not supporting him. Haruna does not want to leave. He called the management yesterday after Buhari sacked him and had a meeting with them. He abused them and said he would not go until his term is renewed.
“He refused to hand over to the most senior director and handed over to this lady and said he will be back today (Wednesday).”
One of the sources further revealed that the staff members have been planning to stage a protest against the contravention of the hierarchical structure in the agency by the former chairman.
“So as of this morning, staff members are waiting for him that if he turns up, they will protest,” another source said.
When SaharaReporters called Haruna on the phone, one of his aides who answered the call said he would not give any comment on the phone regarding the issue.