Buhari appoints Oluwatoyin Madein as first female Accountant-General of the Federation
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, as the new substantive Accountant-general of the Federation (AGF).
Her appointment followed the successful conduct of a selection process to fill the existing vacancy following the suspension of Idris Ahmed, former Accountant General of the Federation, in May 2022, over allegations of corruption and embezzlement.
Madein is stepping in to take over from Mr. Sylva Okolieboh, who had been in an acting capacity as the AGF, after Idris Ahmed, who is currently undergoing trial in court, was asked to step aside.
This disclosure is contained in a statement signed by the Director of Communications, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mohammed Abdullahi Ahmed, where he stated that Madein’s appointment is with effect from Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Madein is the first female to occupy that position, was shortlisted alongside 19 other candidates for the position in January 2023.
The statement announcing her appointment reads: ‘’President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, as the substantive Accountant-General of the Federation following the successful conduct of a selection process to fill the existing vacancy.
‘’The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR made this known today, Friday 19 May 2023 in Abuja, adding that the appointment is with effect from Thursday, May 18, 2023.
‘’The new appointee is to resume immediately.’’
Prior to her appointment, Madein was serving as the Director, Finance and Accounts, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
She holds a Ph.D. in Management Finance from Walden University, Minnesota, USA and would become the first female to occupy that office in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the former Accountant General of the Federation was first arrested by the EFCC on May 16, 2022, over the alleged diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80 billion.
Idris was arrested after he failed to honour invitations by the commission to respond to issues connected to the alleged fraudulent acts.
He was subsequently suspended from office by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
EFCC accused Idris of diverting those funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates, adding that they were laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
On July 22, 2022, Idris was arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Adeyemi Ajayi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
Ahmed Idris in August approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a plea bargain.
The Federal Government had in January 2023, shortlisted 20 candidates for the position of a new and substantive accountant-general of the federation. Out of which the newly appointed AGF was selected.
