The appointment of two managing directors and chief executives for the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, UNRBDA by President Bola Tinubu has caused confusion.
Less than two months after Tinubu appointed Aliyu Tajudeen, a younger brother to Speaker of the House of Reps Abbas Tajudeen, as the managing director and CEO of the agency, the president appointed another head, Dangajere Jaja, who was nominated by Governor Uba Sani.
According to DAILY NIGERIAN, the speaker reportedly “outsmarted” the governor by obtaining a presidential approval for his brother when Mr Sani’s candidate was already at the “screening stage”
Angered by the speaker’s “fast move”, the governor also met the president and secured a presidential approval for his candidate, Dangajere Jaja.
Mr Tajudeen’s appointment was communicated in a letter dated October 30, 2024, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
According to the letter, with reference number SGF.51/S.4/T/368, Mr Tajudeen’s appointment takes effect from October 29, 2024, for a four-year term.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Mr Tinubu also announced the appointment of Mr Jaja, as managing director of the same agency.
The appointment, which makes no reference to Mr Tajudeen’s occupation of the office, was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Mr Jaja’s appointment was made alongside six executive directors for the UNRBDA.
Reacting to the frequent reversals in Mr Tinubu’s appointments, an insider source attributed the issues to a lack of due diligence and alleged hijacking of the process by certain cabals within the presidency.
