RICHMOND, Texas (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Nigeria’s Auditor-General, Mr. Adolphus Aghughu, accused of being power drunk, is currently facing allegations of misconduct and fraud.
Voiceofnaija.ng gathered that Adolphus is in the business of malicious redeployment of staff, especially union officers, who challenge him or confront him over his high-handedness.
One of such incidents is the illegal and controversial transfer of one Mr. Tugbogbo Abiodun from Abuja headquarters to Jigawa state.
As a result, the Association of the Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has drawn a battleline.
The union in a petition titled “Request for the Reversal of the Deployment of Comrade Tugbogbo Abiodun” addressed to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation, is demanding immediate reversal of the illegal deployment.
The petition dated 26 July, 2022 and signed by one Isaac Ojemheneke on behalf of the secretary General of the association and made available to our correspondent was received the same day by the office of Auditor General of the federation.
The Petition stated that the deployment of Comrade Abiodun by the Auditor General Mr Adolphus Aghughu contravened the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention 87 and 98 which frowns at undue deployment of a sitting Trade Union Executive.
It says Mr Aghughu’s action is capable of arm twisting the trade union and can disrupt the industrial peace and harmony in the workplace; the union asked the Auditor General to immediately reverse the posting in the interest of peace.
The Auditor General is also accused of redeploying a member of staff who spoke against his leadership from the Abuja headquarters to Ibadan in Oyo state.
Apart from the alleged abuse of power, sources also stated that the Auditor General who is a few weeks away from retirement, is planning to install a stooge to cover up his alleged maladministration.
Our source said in order of seniority, five candidates are eligible to succeed the incumbent including; Mr Julius M. Isiuku, Mrs. Oluseyi A. Ogundowo, Mrs. Eucharia N. Ugwu, Mr. Andrew O. Onwuidili and Mr. Gabriel Gbayan.
But findings have revealed that the retiring Aghughu is planning to replace himself with Mr. Onwudili, the 4th candidate on the roll call, without minding the three directors above him, a development which has reportedly constituted an unnecessary power tussle in the office.
A source who spoke about the situation, said: “To execute the plot, the outgoing AGF has illegally doctored the nominal roll of the office so as to bring his preferred candidate ahead of other directors who joined the civil service way before him against the extant civil service rule.”
Efforts made to reach Mr. Aghughu proved futile as he did not respond to messages seeking audience with him, neither did he pick calls put across to him.
