POLITICS
Stop Recycling Deadweights – Sowore Slams Tinubu Over 18-Month Immigration, Correctional Chiefs’ Tenure Extensions
Stop Recycling Deadweights – Sowore Slams Tinubu Over 18-Month Immigration, Correctional Chiefs’ Tenure Extensions
AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s 18-month extension of the tenures of the Immigration and Correctional Service chiefs.
Sowore said the decision would hurt workers’ morale, frustrate career progression and deny deserving officers opportunities to rise through the ranks.
He accused the Tinubu administration of recycling ineffective officials and alleged that the President was rubber-stamping decisions made by entrenched interests around him.
The Presidency said the extensions were necessary to address a succession gap and allow the relevant board adequate time to appoint successors.
October 20, () – Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of 18-month tenure extensions for the heads of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), accusing the administration of frustrating career progression by retaining serving officials.
Sowore’s criticism followed Monday’s announcement by the Presidency that Tinubu had approved an additional 18 months for NIS Comptroller-General, Kemi Nanna Nandap, and NCoS Controller-General, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche.
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Comptroller General of Immigration Service Kemi Nana Nandap
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Under the approval, Nwakuche’s tenure will now run until May 26, 2028, while Nandap will remain in office until June 30, 2028.
Reacting in a post on X, Sowore described the decision as “plainly wrong”, arguing that extending the tenure of officials he described as “deadweights” would have consequences for officers seeking career advancement within the services.
“Extending the tenure of deadweights in the system destroys workers’ morale, stifles career progression, blocks opportunities for deserving officers, and undermines professionalism in the civil service”, he said.
Sowore also questioned the President’s handling of appointments, alleging that Tinubu had lost his grip on governance and was merely approving decisions influenced by entrenched interests within his administration.
“Tinubu @officialABAT’s handling of these appointments shows he’s lost his grip on governance, and he’s merely rubber-stamping decisions made by entrenched interests around him”, he said.
The AAC presidential candidate further accused the administration of repeatedly retaining the same officials instead of creating opportunities for qualified career officers to advance.
“Nigeria cannot continue recycling the same ineffective officials while qualified civil servants are denied opportunities to advance”, he said.
Background
The Presidency, however, gave a different reason for the extensions, saying the decision was aimed at addressing a succession gap in the two services.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the State House said the approval followed a recommendation by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
It said the additional period would enable the relevant board to complete arrangements for the appointment of successors to the two service chiefs.
Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service NCoS Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche
Tinubu also commended Nandap and Nwakuche for reforms recorded under their leadership and directed them to consolidate the gains during their extended tenures.
Nandap was nominated by Tinubu as Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service on February 21, 2024, and confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 2024.
Nwakuche was nominated as Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service in December 2024 and confirmed by the Senate in March 2025.
The NIS is responsible for border management, migration control and immigration administration, while the NCoS manages custodial and non-custodial correctional services across the country.
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