Abia Ex-Commissioner Blames ‘Entrenched Interests’ After Tinubu’s Withdrawal Of Appointment

Former Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Obinna Oriaku, has criticised his removal as Abia State’s nominee to the Federal Character Commission (FCC) after President Bola Tinubu withdrew his name and forwarded a replacement to the Senate.

Tinubu, in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary, asked the upper chamber to confirm Victor Ikeji as Abia’s representative.

The president said the nomination complied with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and was intended to replace Oriaku, whose earlier nomination was made on October 9.

Akpabio had referred the request to the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Relations for further legislative action.

In a Facebook post, Oriaku said he was informed of the substitution by a Senator after he had concluded the screening exercise and obtained Senate approval.

“For clarity, I had already undergone the full rigour of the confirmation process, which concluded with my successful approval by the Senate last week,” he wrote.

He claimed that “entrenched interests” may have influenced the move to drop.

Quoting him, “Defending democratic ethics often comes with a cost. When you choose to speak the truth, uphold fairness, and challenge entrenched interests, resistance is inevitable. Corruption never retreats quietly; it always fights back.”

Oriaku acknowledged the president’s discretion to change nominees and pledged to respect and align with the decision.

He further claimed a petition allegedly submitted by the Abia State Government or one of its agencies opposing his nomination may have cost him the appointment.

“Even so, this will not alter my stance on issues affecting Abia. My interventions have always been issue-based, guided by facts, integrity, and the collective good. I will continue to engage constructively, especially as our party works diligently towards reclaiming the Abia State Government House in 2027,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Oriaku’s tenure as Abia’s finance commissioner from 2015 to 2019 was marked by controversy.

He served under then-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu before defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Civil society groups had accused him of mismanaging state finances during the period to the tune of over N5bn.

The Abia North Stakeholders Assembly (ANSA), in a petition signed by Chief Goodluck Ibem (President General) and Hon. Sunday Chukwu (Secretary General), had accused the ex-commissioner and a payroll management company, Lloydant Business Services, of ripping off the state government of over N5billion through huge commissions and alleged extortion.

Oriaku, however, denied wrongdoing and continued to criticise the current administration of Governor Alex Otti.