BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu are currently enmeshed in a roforofo fight over who emerges as the Acting Director General of the National Space And Research Development Agency (NASRDA).
Sources in the Agency revealed that the ragging battle for supremacy is between two senior directors, Dr Halilu Shaba Ahmad and Dr Francis Chizea Dubem who are both laying claims as the authentic acting head of NASRDA.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that while the letter seeking Senate confirmation of Dr Ahmad as Acting Director General came from Buhari’s Chief of Staff office, Dr Chizea is the Minister’s candidate and has been in charge of affairs at NASRDA since the retirement of Mr Jonathan Angulu who acted as Chief Executive for almost one year.
Forefront learnt that even before Angulu’s retirement, Dr Ahmad had laid claims to the position but was promptly disowned by the Presidency on grounds that the process of nominating a new head for the Agency is still in the works.
“Before the retirement of Mr Angulu, there was an interview conducted by a panel and the report of the interview committee was forwarded to the Presidency for final ratification.
“However, the death of former Chief of Staff, Ahaji Abba Kyari, stalled further action, even after President Buhari had directed that the panel’s initial report be investigated given the hail of protests that accompanied the exercise. Accusations were rife that out of five candidates nominated for the position, Dr Ahmad’s name was surreptitiously picked by the panel without any interview or engagement with the proposed candidates.
“With Gambari’s emergence as new Chief of Staff, that file was dusted and the infighting for the NASRDA headship intensified. Dr Ahmad is obviously the candidate of Professor Gambari, while Dr Chizea has the backing of Dr Onu, who is the supervising Minister for NASRDA, and that of the Permanent Secretary.
“From all indications, it is clear that both Professor Gambari and Dr Onu are angling for their preferred candidate to emerge as the Chief Executive and this confrontation has now split the Agency into various factions that is not healthy for labour harmony within the workforce”, our competent source revealed.
According to one of the sources; “The announcement of Dr Ahmad as the new Acting Director General of the agency has now thrown NASRDA into confusion. But more worrying is the situation where Dr Chizea Dubem has reportedly refused to vacate the office, insisting he is still the authentic head of the Agency.
The source blamed the Presidency for further aggravating the situation in the Space Agency by its obvious decision to as usual ignore the Federal Character principles which has remained a very sore point in the Buhari’s administration.
“It seems this Presidency will never change. How is the President sleeping well with all the accusations of bias appointments trailing his every move in all agencies of government. The NASRDA’s case is another clear example of that trademark character.
“The immediate past NASRDA’s boss, Professor Seidu Mohammed, who left office in June 2020, after serving for almost 11 years (10 years and seven months) is from Niger State in the North Central geo-political zone. So, why appoint another candidate from Kogi State in the same zone to that office instead of confirming Chizea, who is from Delta state in the South South zone.
“Aside the due process abuse of allowing Prof Seidu to overstay his two-term of eight years by about three additional years, does it not amount to impunity and putting a square peg in a round hole that a man, not well grounded in the sector, is now being picked to superintend over the Agency?
“Hitherto, the existing practice has always made it the Science and Technology Minister’s prerogative to nominate the head of NASRDA for eventual presidential approval. But the new development is certainly considered an unnecessary external meddling and obvious usurpation of the Ministry’s powers for obvious selfish reasons.”
But another source informed our correspondent that appointing NASDRA’s head should have been effected with the confirmation of the Nigerian Senate only after due process has been fully followed.
“Since its inception in 1998, appointment of Chief Executive officers for NASRDA has always been done through the Ministry of Science and Technology. Minister. However, since the expiration of two-term of Professor Seidu Mohammed in June 2020, Dr Chizea Dubem claimed that he was issued a letter dated 15th May, 2020 from the Ministry of Science and Technology to act as Chief Executive.
“Following the Dr Chizea’s continuous occupation of the office as Acting Director General, a group in the North had promptly cautioned him to desist from parading himself as head of NASRDA or face the consequences of being publicly embarrassed.”
But our reliable source further stated that “Chizea is certainly in his comfort zone to perform optimally as NASRDA boss given his rich background and performance while serving as Project Manager for SAT-1; SAT-2 and SAT-X. Also, the last seven months of his acting has seen tremendous improvement in the activities of NASRDA and a serious government should have been interested in building upon such encouraging strides.”
“Sadly, the Presidency is not in tune with such healthy practice and this war over the top seat has caused bad blood within the Agency and if nothing is done urgently, government’s vision in establishing NASRDA may be further jeopardised,” one top official warned.
Attempts at speaking with Media officers in NASRDA proved abortive as no one is willing to make comments on the leadership tussle that has created bitter struggle for power with the agency now openly having factions within its staff force
The top official, who admitted the media unit staff have been warned against making public statements to journalists, however confirmed the existence of leadership tussle and ethnic bickering within the Agency but declined to give details.
The NASRDA official said though it is contained in the laws establishing NASRDA that the name of a new Director General must be sent to the Senate for confirmation, this is the first time the Chief Executive’s appointment is being done in line with the provisions of the NASRDA Edict.
Another senior staff, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that both Dr Ahmad and Dr Chizea have muddled up the waters and it may prove an impossible task to harmonise and unite the workforce toward achieving the vision of NASRDA going forward.
“In the present circumstance, what we need is an outsider away from both contenders to the position. Their claims to NASRDA headship has caused serious infighting among personnel and brought unhealthy competition that is already jeopardising the Agency’s vision and if government still decides to settle for any one of them, then that will be quite unfortunate for the overall well-being of NASDRA,” the staff said.
“This development has portrayed the Presidency in negative coloration as it has seemingly demonstrated an unfair handling of the crisis thereby throwing up unnecessary ethnic and religious tension in the organisation.
“The situation is made more disturbing with Dr Shaba claiming that Buhari’s Chief of Staff, as his uncle, would stop at nothing to ensure he becomes the next Director General of NASRDA. On the other hand is the Minister’s resolve to have Dr Chizea superintend over the agency given his background and achievement in the last seven months as Acting Director general.
“This competing interest is totally unhealthy for NASFDA and could unfortunately drag on for several months before peace can return to the once very focused and vibrant Agency”, our source warned.
