But Pointblanknews.com investigations reveal that Ahmad who was first appointed in June 2009 is ranked number five from the December 2018
Staff nominal roll of NARSDA, making him ineligible to be appointed DG
based on Civil Service Rules.
According to findings, Dr. Francis Chizea Dubem who was first appointed in August 1991 and who was Acting DG after the tenure expiration of Dr.
Jonathan Angulu, is ranked number two on the nominal roll of NARSDA.
Professor Mohammed Saido Onailo who is ranked number one on the nominal roll has already retired.
Dr. Francis Chizea is the most senior officer in NARSDA, according to a memo signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and
Technology, Dr. M.B Umar in 2019.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, may have influenced the choice of Ahmad.
According to sources Ahmad have been bragging to his colleagues in the office how his relationship with Prof. Gambari will secure him the DG of
the agency even when he knows he is not in line.
The agency had on July 2, 2019, announced the appointment of Mr Jonathan Angulu as an acting Director-General to facilitate a seamless transition
process between the outgone DG and an incoming one. Mr Jonathan handed over to Dr Ahmad two days earlier to continue in an acting capacity
until the Federal Government appointed a substantive Director-General.
In a dramatic and unexpected turn of events, the Federal Government reversed the appointment of Dr. Ahmad. The reason adduced for this decision was that the appointment of Dr. Ahmad “was made in violation of civil service regulation and amounted to an infraction of regulatory
policies”.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that Ahmad kept on pushing and lobbying, using his contacts in the Presidency.
According to a source, “he hardly comes to the office. He is always at the Presidential Villa lobbying for a position that he is not qualified
for. He claims that the Chief of staff to the President is related to his mother and that nothing can stop him from getting the appointment
against civil service rules.”
Ahmad is from Lapai in Niger State while Chizea is from Aniocha in Delta State.
