A group of concerned senior civil servants has alleged a covert plot involving the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, and top officials in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to unlawfully extend the tenure of Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, the Permanent Secretary representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a petition addressed to the Head of the Civil Service, the group — comprising directors and deputy directors — described the move as a “corrupt and partial implementation” of the Public Service Rules (PSR). The petition was submitted via official email on Monday, June 16, 2025.
According to the petitioners, Aduda — whose statutory eight-year tenure ends on August 16, 2025 — is lobbying for a backdoor one-year extension. They claim the attempt is being orchestrated with the assistance of Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, Permanent Secretary for Service Policies and Strategies, and backed by Minister Badaru.
“This is nothing short of a betrayal of the civil service reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. It is an attempt to bend the rules for one man while sidelining other competent officers,” the petition states.
Aduda was first appointed as a permanent secretary on August 16, 2017, and his tenure was renewed on August 16, 2021. By regulation, he is expected to vacate office by August 16, 2025.
The civil servants describe Aduda’s track record as “uninspiring and disruptive,” pointing to controversies during his time at the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.
“His time in Foreign Affairs was marked by chaos, protests, and an alleged lack of professionalism. At Defence, things have been no better. Both military and civilian staff view his tenure as the worst in recent memory,” the petition stated.
The petition also references “grave allegations of impropriety and abuse of office,” claiming that his work environment has been marred by unprofessional conduct.
“If this extension is allowed, it confirms the worst fears of many in the service — that political connections override performance, and rules are only enforced selectively,” it read.
The petition also accuses Mrs. Walson-Jack of maneuvering “behind the scenes” to secure approval for the extension without due process, warning that such actions could undermine ongoing efforts to reform and sanitize the federal civil service.
The group issued four specific demands in their petition:
* That no oral or written request for Aduda’s tenure extension be entertained by the OHCSF or forwarded to the President.
* That if such a request has already been submitted, President Tinubu should reject it in the interest of transparency and discipline.
* That the post of Permanent Secretary, FCT, be declared vacant on August 17, 2025, and made open to qualified candidates.
* That the ICPC and other relevant agencies investigate the roles of Aduda, Walson-Jack, and Badaru in the alleged scheme.
“We are not driven by malice but by our duty to uphold the integrity of the service. If this plot succeeds, the morale of competent officers who obey the rules will be destroyed,” said Umar Nuhu, who signed the petition on behalf of the group.
