By Nicolas Adekeye
CSOs under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a sound, patriotic and fearless professional as the next Auditor-General of the Federation following the retirement of Mr. Aghughu Adolphus who attained the mandatory 60 years of age.
Outgoing Auditor-General
In a press statement made available to journalists in Abuja by the foremost civil society organisation and signed by Comrade James Okoronkwo and Mallam Isah Mohammed, national coordinator and secretary respectively, the duo stated that the office of Auditor-General of the Federation requires a thorough-bred, patriotic, courageous auditor to carry out the audit of all the income and expenditure of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The group stated that at a time that Nigeria is facing revenue leakages occasioned by high incidence of corruption in the country, civil rights movements as the conscience of the nation, are making a clarion call to the president to follow due diligence in filling the highly sensitive office.
According to the group, Mr Gabriel Gbayan Shirwua, a current Director in the Health and Allied institute of the audit department, has the courage, pedigree and patriotism to the mandate of the Auditor- General of the Federation as outlined in Sections 85(2) Audit of Public Accounts of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 ( as amended ) which states “the public accounts of the Federation and of all offices and courts of the federation shall be audited and reported on by the Auditor-General who shall submit his reports to the national assembly” and for that purpose, the Auditor-General or any person authorized by him in that behalf shall have access to all the books, records, returns and other documents relating to those records.
A I981 Accounting Graduate of the University of Jos, Gbayan Gabriel possesses also, an MSC in Accounting from the Nasarawa State University and is a member of many accounting/auditing professional bodies.
“He has the know-how, transparency and patriotism to carry out the audit of all the income and expenditure of the Federal Government if appointed to the exalted office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.” the group stated.
Furthermore, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice lauded President Muhammad Buhari for the giant strides he has recorded in his crusade against corruption and maintained that “Gbayan Gabriel is a huge asset to the Federal government and will drive Mr. President’s anti-graft campaign to the next level.”
Finally the group appealed to Mr. President to appoint the Benue State born Senior Auditor currently working with the Auditor-General’s office in view of the fact that Benue state currently has the least number of its indigenes holding federal appointments and for equity and justice Gbayan Gabriel Shirwua has all it takes to be appointed the next Auditor-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
