The appointment of Salihijo Ahmad, a former mid-level civil servant as the managing director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) was scrutinized amidst claims of alleged cover-up of his job experience. Salihijo Ahmad worked as a Level 12 public official in the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) until 2018
The appointment was met with skepticism from major players in the power sector, given his relatively junior position just over a year ago. There were also questions raised about the accuracy of the claims regarding his expertise in the power sector.
In response to the controversy, President Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, suggested contacting the Minister of Power for clarification as he is responsible for recommending appointments to the president. However, the Minister of Power’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Bello, indicated that the appointment came directly from President Buhari.
According to Bello, the president has the prerogative for appointments and emphasized that political appointments are not based on civil service levels. He expressed confidence in the president’s decision and stressed the need to support the president in his effort to reform the power sector.