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APRIL 30, 2007 VOL. 21. NO 3

NCS: An Anointed CGC?

Buba Gyang, CGC.

As Jacob Buba-Gyang, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) prepares to vacate office alongside President Olusegun Obasanjo come May 29, 2007, there are strong indications that the CG and other notable top shots of the service may have thrown their weight behind a consensus successor
By Innocent Chukwu
It was, in fact, a matter of discourse as far back as late last year, that the presidency had contemplated appointing a new Comptroller General (CG) to administer the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), effective January 2007. The supposed new CGC was to replace the incumbent helmsman of the service, Elder Jacob Buba-Gyang. This indication was to be confirmed, wittingly or unwitting, by Buba himself at the occasion of the service’s annual seminar held at the Gateway Hotel, Otta, Ogun State in December 2006.
The customs number one officer had during an interactive session at the conference made allusions that his tenure was almost rounding off. In fact, Buba specifically stated that, “I may not stay too long in the service” and admonished young officers who would step into his shoes to endeavour to fan the flame of the reform initiated by his leadership.
The Source’s findings indicate that Buba’s confession came against the backdrop of several pressures mounted on the president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, by protagonists of some top customs officers who had cause to fall apart with the incumbent CG. Indeed, feelers from the customs headquarters have it that alleged internal dissension prompted moves by those who were eyeing Buba’s seat to use their “powerful connections” to canvass for his exit, especially when it became obvious that Buba felt threatened by their rising influence and alleged plans to appropriate his office.
The scenario climaxed in the president contemplating to remove Buba when his alleged excesses were laid before Obasanjo. However, Buba’s saving grace, The Source learnt, was former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), who allegedly waded in and pleaded on the CG’s behalf, advocating that the president should let him be till May 29. So, certain that his days were numbered and that if the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential quest materialised he might retire with the president, Buba some- what used the conference to drop the bomb shell.
Instructively, that seemed to have flagged-off a rat race of sorts amongst the service’s top officers especially those within the cadres of the Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) and a handful of Comptrollers who since last year have been engrossed with permutations over who would be the next customs Comptroller-General.
The Source learnt that competent and experienced mercenaries have in many cases been engaged to lobby the presidency regarding who to step into Buba’s shoes. The struggle, The Source gathered, intensified when it was alleged that Buba had himself, approached the president, praying him to scrap some of the big offices in the customs whose occupants were beyond his control because of their Aso Rock links.
However, the war of attrition amongst the top echelon of the NCS over who would clinch Buba’s job was to gradually fizzle out, as it became obvious that it might turn out to be much ado about nothing. This development stems from the fact that most of the current contenders became apprehensive because of what happened to some retired officers of the service in 2004. Then, those who lobbied “generously” and passionately to become the CG, having allegedly spent several millions of naira to gratify President Obasanjo’s aides who promised to link them to the president, lost out eventually and were compulsorily retired. Buba, a relatively “obscure” officer was rather chosen by the president.
Consequently, top customs officers who hitherto eyed the CG’s office were said to have taken a cue from the 2004 incident and decided to play the game with circumspection. This has, remarkably, resulted to a decision by the Buba-led management – especially those who wish to remain in the service after his exit – to decide to adopt a consensus candidate who would be presented to the next president for endorsement through the Customs board headed by the Minister of Finance, Esther Nenadi Usman.
The Source’s investigations show that arriving at such a decision was also contentious as many of the contenders allegedly claimed to have gone too far in the quest to replace Buba. According to reliable sources, the contention arose over who would be chosen and the criteria for the choice of such an unanimous representative. But these arguments were refuted by the mere fact that the CG’s job, by virtue of the federal character principle, is seemingly ceded to the Northern zone of the country. As a result, a northerner was to be chosen.
Prior to this time, many candidates had positioned themselves to take over from Buba. The list, in fact, appears endless, but there are notable names which include, Ade Fadahunsi, an Assistant Comptroller General (ACG Drug and Enforcement), Adamu Rabiu (ACG, Western Zonal Co-ordinator), Sani Nuhu Abubakar, ACG, Headquarters and Baritor Kpagih, also an ACG in the headquarters (ERR&P).
Others are ACG (Dr.) Bernard Nwadialor, (Finance and Technical Services-FATS), ACG Ahmed (Investigation), ACG Dabai (Zone C), ACG Baba Gana (Zone D) and Comptrollers Ali Wakili and Umar Daura. These officers, The Source gathered, were in one way or the other making advances towards the service’s plum post.
Indeed, in selecting the right man to be presented to the next president for confirmation, the service’s top shots allegedly considered several options and criteria which include among others, contributions to the sustenance of the current reform in the NCS, policy initiatives, popularity, both in customs’ cycle and beyond, general perception and acceptability within the service, interpersonal relations and positive image as well as academic background.
In the area of academic status, the customs top echelon were said to have considered that in the past eight years, leaders of the service have remained men of not-too-outstanding academic qualifications. For example, Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha, the immediate past CG had only a diploma in Islamic Studies, while the incumbent, Buba holds a diploma in Business Studies (Insurance).
Consequently, the younger generation officers who have risen to the ranks of ACGs and comptrollers, also want reforms in the academic qualifications of future CGs in the sense that it would be an archaic practice for school certificate and diploma holders to be in control of vibrant academics who have taken pains to climb beyond the first degree in their academic pursuit.
The Source was told that some of the officers were appraised in their level of achievements and contributions to the smooth running of the service and it was considered that they have all contributed meaningfully in different ways. But in terms of influence, inside sources alleged that the most influential officers in this administration are Abubakar, Fadahunsi and Rabiu. Yet in terms of general acceptability, reform initiative and command of respect within and outside the service, Abubakar reportedly scored the highest point. Although in the area of administration, Wakili is rated higher having obtained the MNI (Member, National Institute) from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, Abubakar is seen in customs quarters as being more knowledgeable in staff and public relations based on the nature of his present office.
So, at last Abubakar, according to reliable sources, was adopted as the consensus candidate for the customs CG’s job. The Source's investigations further revealed that his choice as a consensus successor of Buba was further influenced by his position as a member of the board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but mostly his initiatives and contributions especially in sustaining efficiency in the service and the workability of the on-going Destination Inspection Scheme, discipline and staff motivation.
Unconfirmed sources hinted that even within the EFCC, Abubakar has remained outstanding, making some influencial citizens to at a point consider him as a viable replacement for Nuhu Ribadu, the chairman of the EFCC before the latter’s tenure was renewed recently. However, there are still some officers who, according to sources, are bent on contesting the consensus candidature of Abubakar, the unanimous adoption notwithstanding.
But according to a reliable customs source, the NCS management has after a recent management meeting decided that in order to safeguard the positive image which the customs is enjoying in recent times, it would not support officers lobbying for the position of the CG, but would instead support a candidate and give him all the needed backing so as to ensure absolute tranquility devoid of back-biting.
In order to confirm the foregoing, The Source made efforts to speak with Wale Adeniyi, the customs image maker through his GSM telephone, but the line could not go through after several trials.