President Bola Tinubu has asked Mamman Ahmadu to resign as the director-general and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
In a statement on Saturday, Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, said the directive “is part of a larger reorganisation effort in the public procurement system to reposition the agency for greater efficiency and transparency”.
Ngelale added that Ahmadu is to hand over to the most senior officer at the bureau, pending the appointment of a new director-general.
“The President thanks Mr. Ahmadu for his services and wishes him success in his future endeavours,” Ngelale said.
Ahmadu was appointed BPP DG by former President Muhamadu Buhari in 2016.
However, in recent times, there have been calls for his removal from office.
In August 2023, a group known as the Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NAGAD) sued Tinubu, demanding Ahmadu’s sack.
The plaintiffs argued that Ahmadu’s appointment did not follow due process or the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is mandated by the Public Procurement Act, 2007 to constitute a body known as the ‘national council on public procurement’, which acts as a watchdog and oversees and supervises the third respondent’s (BPP) activities for the sake of transparency and accountability,” NAGAD said.
“The said national council of public procurement is also empowered by law to recommend any potential candidates for the office of director-general of the 3rd respondent’s commission to the 1st respondent (president) for appointment after a competitive selection.
“Since the 3rd respondent was established in 2007, the national council on public procurement has never been constituted, in contravention of the law and therefore making the 3rd respondent act on its whims and caprices, taking decisions at its own volition, without supervision, and in accordance with the establishment Act.”
NAGAD further stated that the BPP has been issuing “certificates of no objection to procuring entities without recourse to the national council’s regulations in line with its mandate”.
The group stated that the non-constitution of the national council “will breed corruption in the system at the detriment of the society”.
