The inability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fill the vacant position of Director General/Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) is raising ruckus within the research and development community in Nigeria. 

While some unions are accusing the immediate past DG/CEO of the agency, Prof. Hussaini Ibrahim, of refusing to vacate office despite the expiration of his tenure on April 7, 2024, he  insisted that he had since relinquished his position and handed over to the most senior administrative officer in the agency. 

The Guardian learnt that Ibrahim served his first term in office from April 7, 2014 to April 7, 2019 and was reappointed in 2019 for a second and final five year term that expired on April 7, 2024. 

It was further gathered that some unions were threatening fire and brimstone if Ibrahim refuses to vacate the position in line with extant laws.  In a petition to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) called on Ibrahim to hand over to the most senior administrative officer at the agency and vacate office immediately. 

It threatened to picket the agency and mobilise its members to embark on strike if the illegality continues.  Signed by ASURI Secretary General, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, the petition was dated April 16, 2024, with reference number ASN/SGF/RMRDC/0424/01. 

According to Ndubuaku, the refusal of the RMRDC DG to hand over and vacate office violates Section 2.1.2 (d) (ii) of Conditions of Service for Federal Research Agencies, Institutes and Colleges (COS 2019) as well as the Circular of the SGF of December 4, 2024. 

The petition was titled, ‘Reporting the flagrant abuse of public service procedure by Prof. Husaini D. Ibrahim whose second and final tenure as Director General/Chief Executive Officer of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has expired but has refused to vacate office in compliance with extant regulations.’  

It read in part: “We have it on good account that rather than hand over and vacate office, Ibrahim merely locked up the office of the DG at the headquarters of RMRDC at Maitama and relocated to the outstation of the Council located within the premises of National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) along the Musa Yar’Adua Expressway at Lugbe, from where he continues to function as DG, authorising payments and performing other executive functions.”

The petition was also sent to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology; his counterpart in Labour and Employment; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF); Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC); Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as Director General, Department of State Service (DSS), Abuja. 

In a swift reaction, the Director of Corporate Services, RMRDC, Chukwuma Ngaha, debunked the allegations, insisting that the DG had since resigned. He said that a January 22, 2024, letter written by Ibrahim, notifying the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, that his tenure would expire on April 7, 2024, has vindicated him. 

“From my understanding, he has since left office. And somebody has since taken over and has been acting. I have not even set my eyes on the DG since this period being mentioned. 

“The allegation that he is sitting tight, I don’t think it’s true. As a responsible man he is, he even gave an advance notice to the ministry to the effect that his tenure would come to an end. If he was somebody that wanted to sit tight, would he have written such a letter to the ministry? 

“He is no longer acting as the DG of Raw Materials Research and Development Council. 

“I am also not aware if he has resumed at our outstation on Airport Road. But as far as I am concerned, he is no longer working as the DG of Raw Materials,” Ngaha said.  He gave the name of the acting MD/CEO as Emmanuel Kwaya, the Director of Industrial Plant and Equipment.