Reward For Failure: Senator Brother Who Failed Exam, Appointed Perm Sec
https://www.fearlessreports.com/2017/08/reward-for-failure-senator-brother-who.html
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| Sen Phillip Aduda, brother to the Perm Sec who failed promotion exams |
The report by Premium Times at the time generated widespread uproar across the country at the time, with many calling for the removal of the director from his post.
The Goodluck Jonathan administration, reputed for massive corruption and serial abuse of due process, however failed to act at the time, and Mr Aduda was allowed to stay on.
Three years on, the Muhammadu Buhari administration has elevated the controversial official to the position of permanent secretary.
Mr Aduda is among the 21 new permanent secretaries appointed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on August 10. He is also among the 15 inaugurated on Wednesday.
He was deployed to the Political Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to Mr. Osinbajo, could not be reached for comment on Thursday morning. He did not answer or return multiples calls made to him.
But an official in the acting president’s office, who requested not to be named because he is not an official spokesperson, said Mr. Osinbajo was never aware of Mr. Aduda’s antecedent.
“I am sure Mr. Osinbajo would be shocked to hear this,” he said.
Gabriel Aduda worked as Head, Strategy and Reorientation Unit, of the anti-corruption agency in 2012 on Grade Level 15 when he took the compulsory examination, which all civil servants must pass before their appointments are confirmed.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Aduda, a brother to ruling party politician and Senator, Phillip Aduda, failed the examination and then resigned after a re-mark of his papers showed that he indeed performed poorly.
But barely six months after his resignation, Mr Aduda was named the Director in charge of the Economic Research and Policy Management Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance, an appointment that shocked both his former employers and some top officials of the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Mr. Aduda however told PREMIUM TIMES that he did his best in the examination but that he was deliberately marked down, saying he was a victim of “vendetta attack” at the EFCC.
“The claim that I failed the examination is miles away from the truth,” he said. “The truth is that I took the examination as prescribed by law. But, I was shocked when I was told later when the result was out that I failed. Of course, I rejected the result and called for my papers, which were shown to me by the Director, General Services.
“Then I wanted to establish two things. One, to know from the Director what the pass mark was for officers in my grade level, and two, whether the pass mark was fixed prior to the examination or after. When the answers were not forthcoming, it became clear that it was pure vendetta against my person.”
He wouldn’t answer further questions, insisting that this reporter should visit the EFCC to assess his exams script himself.
But the EFCC insisted Mr. Aduda indeed failed the examination and that he was not victimized in any way.
“This matter you are talking about has to do with his employment history with the commission and the records are there,” EFCC Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said. “Besides, the EFCC does not have a history of victimizing present or past employees. The person involved in this matter has moved on and the commission would not like to comment any further on the matter.”
Rewarded for failure
Mr Aduda, a brother to Philip Aduda, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, joined the EFCC on February 2009.
Between September 2000 and October 2004, he also served on the Board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
©Premium Times report
