Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Musa Nuhu, has submitted his terminal leave letter to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, being a new twist in the battle for the exalted position.
The PUNCH had reported the horse race involving the acting DG of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, and a few industry experts looking to become the substantive DG of the aviation regulatory agency.
This has, however, caused disquiet at the NCAA, as the rank and file of the agency secretly pitch their tents with preferred candidates.
While a section of the stakeholders, including the Airline Operators of Nigeria, were divided on the confirmation bid of Najomo as the substantive DG of the NCAA, workers’ unions at the agency have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of Najomo, calling on President Bola Tinubu to send his name to the Senate for confirmation.
On December 13, 2023, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development announced the suspension of Nuhu as the DG of the NCAA over alleged corrupt practices.
The ministry, in a release, noted that Nuhu would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.
One year after the announcement, neither the EFCC nor the ministry had made any public statement on findings regarding the matter. It is unclear if the case is ongoing or not.
Sources at the Ministry of Aviation have also hinted our correspondent that pressure on the suspended DG to resign his position with the bait that he will be let loose of the shackles of the EFCC’s probe has met resistance from Nuhu.
Meanwhile, Section 7 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules on Acting Appointment says that any officer appointed in an acting capacity cannot exceed 12 months in such a position.
The 020704 (a) of Section 7 of the Federal Government Civil Service Rules also said that recommendations for such an appointee in an acting capacity must be forwarded to the Federal Civil Service Commission Form 66 and must include thereon a certificate to the effect that the acting officer would assume the full duties and responsibilities of the post.
Najomo was appointed in an acting capacity on December 13, 2023. His one-year acting tenure, according to the civil service rules, is expected to come to an end on Thursday, December 12, 2024.
With this, he is expected to step down from office unless reappointed by the president on the recommendation of the minister on or before the 13th of December, 2024 (two days away).
The rules added: “Approved acting appointment shall be gazetted by the Federal Civil Service Commission, but it will on no account be backdated to a period in excess of six months of the date of receipt of the recommendation by the commission.
“The period of acting appointment shall not exceed one year but, in exceptional circumstances, may be extended for another year.”
Rumours in the industry suggest that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, may grant the acting DG a tenure extension.
Nuhu’s five-year tenure is expected to come to an end on February 23, 2025, having resumed office on February 24, 2020.
Some of these lobbyists include staff members of the Directorate of Operations, Licensing, and Training Standards, NCAA, while no fewer than two other senior staff members of Indigenous airlines are also gunning for the position.
Speaking with our correspondent over the phone on the matter, the suspended DG confirmed sending his terminal leave letter to the office of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development over two weeks ago and was still awaiting an official response till the time of this report.
Pleading his innocence, Nuhu said he only heard of his suspension on social media, adding that up until the time of filing this report, he had yet to get an official letter relieving him of his duties, nor has he been indicted of any crime.
He said, “I don’t know what is happening as I am talking to you right now. The truth is that I tendered my terminal leave letter as recognised by the law, but two weeks later, I am still waiting for the minister’s response.
“Almost a year after my removal from office, I have yet to get any letter of suspension from the government. I read of my suspension while I was outside the country on an official assignment.”
When asked if the ministry had received or responded to Nuhu’s letter, the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry claimed ignorance of the letter, saying, “I am not aware of this.”
Industry expert John Ojikutu said questions should be asked as to why Najomo’s name is yet to be forwarded to the Senate.
“Something is wrong that they cannot say in the open. If not, why is he there for 12 months, and his name is not sent to the National Assembly? I understand that they still have runnings with the issue about Nuhu, and if they refuse to settle, they can’t proceed on Najomo,” Ojikutu stated.
Efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the Senate, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, were unsuccessful as he neither picked up his call nor responded to text messages seeking to know if the Senate had received a request seeking Najomo’s confirmation as substantive DG.
