Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Igbo people, has strongly opposed President Bola Tinubu’s extension of the tenure of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, alleging that it denies Deputy Comptroller General BU Nwafor, from Anambra State, a fair opportunity for promotion.
The group, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, on Saturday, described the move as “selective justice, institutional unfairness, and a blatant display of nepotism over merit.”
The statement read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed deep dissatisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his tactful manoeuvre to deny Deputy Controller General of Customs (DCG) BU Nwafor from Anambra State her legitimate right of elevation to the rank of Controller General of Customs (CG).”
It further accused the President of using executive powers to subvert due process, stating, “President Tinubu, a few days ago, granted a one-year tenure extension to the current Controller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who is already due for retirement, thereby shortchanging the next in line of succession, DCG BU Nwafor, whose retirement would be due in October 2026.”
With this extension, the organization claims that DCG KI Adeola, who is next in line after Nwafor, would be strategically positioned to succeed Adeniyi in 2026 — a situation Ohanaeze considers an unjust manipulation of succession protocol.
The statement continued, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide sees this selective justice and situational ethics as a crown jewel of institutional unfairness, a peak of favouritism, and an ultimate display of blatant nepotism over merit, bureaucratic standard, and social conscience.”
It described the development as an affront to Nigeria’s unity and moral principles, asking, “Is this the prototype of the Nigerian brand of brotherhood and patriotism? Can we continue to pretend that we are one people and one nation in the face of this canonical ethnic profiling?”
Ohanaeze urged President Tinubu to reconsider his decision, warning that such actions could erode national trust.
“We therefore call on President Tinubu to revisit this obvious act of robbing Peter to pay Paul, which amounts to injustice, inequity, failure of public morality, and a bruise on national pride. We once again ask, What has become of the constitutionally provided federal character principle?” the group stated.
