PFIPC DG Appointment Scandal: Chidoka Questions Chief of Staff’s Authority

Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has challenged the perceived powers of the Chief of Staff to the President, insisting that the office has no constitutional or administrative authority to appoint or employ anyone into Nigeria’s civil service.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Programme Politics Today on Tuesday while commenting on the controversy surrounding the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Chidoka described the growing influence attributed to the Chief of Staff as a dangerous trend that undermines established government procedures.

According to him, the Chief of Staff is merely a member of the President’s personal staff responsible for coordinating the affairs of the Presidency and does not possess the legal authority to make appointments into the civil service.

“No way. This Chief of Staff business is getting out of hand in Nigeria. He is a staff of the President; he is the chief organiser of the President’s office. He has no business with the government machinery,” Chidoka said.

The former minister also questioned how an alleged appointment letter linked to the PFIPC controversy was processed through government institutions without proper verification.

He argued that if such a letter existed, relevant agencies should have verified its authenticity before taking administrative actions, including correspondence with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

“The question is: letter of appointment, does it exist? Yes. Where did he get it from? When he sent it to the Secretary of Government’s office, did you accept it without verification? When you wrote to the Head of Civil Service office saying we need an office, did you check back to see whether this is procedural?” Chidoka queried.

He warned that the incident reflects a institutional problem in which established procedures are ignored and those who insist on due process are often portrayed negatively.

“The point is that a culture has come into Nigeria. The culture is that when you say no to something going on, you become a bad person,” he added.