The outgoing Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Ogbonnaya Orji, has faulted the process that led to his replacement, saying it did not follow established transition procedures.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved the redeployment of Musa Adar to head the agency, effectively replacing Orji, who has led NEITI since February 2021.
According to reports, Orji was relieved of his duties while attending an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) engagement outside the country.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, he confirmed that his tenure was due to expire in three months, but insisted that the announcement of a replacement was premature.
Orji disclosed that he had formally notified the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the chair of the NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group of his intention to exit office upon the completion of his five-year single tenure.
He stated, “Before my departure, I formally notified the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chair of the National Stakeholders Working Group of NEITI, in writing, of my intention to exit office upon the completion of my five-year single tenure.”
The outgoing NEITI chief said the decision to appoint a successor should ordinarily have been made after February 19, 2026, when his notice of exit would take effect.
He stressed that doing so earlier was not aligned with due process: “The decision to name my successor should have been ordinarily made after the expiry of the notice period, in line with due process and established transition protocols.”
Orji added that he had drawn the attention of the relevant authorities to what he described as an administrative oversight, expressing optimism that the matter would be reviewed.
Read the full statement below:
“My attention has been drawn to a misleading report circulating on social media suggesting that I was “sacked” by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I wish to state clearly and unequivocally that this claim is entirely false.
“I am currently in Yerevan, Armenia, attending the 64th EITI Board Meeting and other official engagements on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Before my departure, I formally notified the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chair of the National Stakeholders Working Group of NEITI, in writing, of my intention to exit office upon the completion of my five-year single tenure.
“In that letter, I voluntarily issued the mandatory three-month notice, as required of all public officers exiting service. My tenure as Executive Secretary/CEO of NEITI officially ends on 19th February 2026. This statutory notification is a standard, transparent, and honourable procedure I have followed throughout my more than three decades of dedicated service in the Federal Public Service.
“It is not, and has never been, a dismissal.
I was therefore surprised to see reports suggesting that a successor had been appointed before the lawful expiration of my tenure. While government has the unquestionable authority to appoint my successor, such decisions are ordinarily made after the expiry of the notice period, in line with due process and established transition protocols.
“I have already drawn the attention of the relevant authorities to this administrative oversight and I am confident that it is being addressed appropriately.
“For the avoidance of doubt: I was not sacked by President Tinubu. I simply fulfilled my obligation by giving advance notice of the expiration of my tenure and my voluntary intention to step down.
“I have served this country honestly, diligently, and professionally—without blemish—in several sensitive positions: as a national broadcaster of repute, in the Senate, at the State House, across multiple MDAs, and at the United Nations. My record of service at NEITI, with visible and verifiable impact, speaks for itself. Throughout my tenure as Executive Secretary, I received nothing but support and encouragement from President Tinubu, not a sack.”
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