Only in Naija: Senator’s brother fails exam but gets top Finance Ministry Director’s job.

PREMIUM TIMES is reporting that a former senior official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who allegedly failed the compulsory confirmation| promotion examination for federal civil servants, is now a top director in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance.

Mr. Aduda, who is a brother to Philip Aduda, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, failed the examination and then resigned after a re-mark of his paper showed that he indeed performed poorly.

Gabriel Aduda worked as Head, Strategy and Reorientation Unit, of the anti-corruption agency in 2012 on Grade Level 15 when he took the compulsory examination, which all civil servants must pass before their appointments are confirmed.

But barely six months after his resignation, Mr. Aduda was named the Director in charge of the Economic Research and Policy Management Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance, an appointment that shocked both his former employers and some top officials of the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Mr. Aduda however claimed that he did his best in the examination but that he was deliberately marked down, saying he was a victim of “vendetta attack” at the EFCC.

“The claim that I failed the examination is miles away from the truth,” he said. “The truth is that I took the examination as prescribed by law. But, I was shocked when I was told later when the result was out that I failed. Of course, I rejected the result and called for my papers, which were shown to me by the Director, General Services.

“Then I wanted to establish two things. One, to know from the Director what the pass mark was for officers in my grade level, and two, whether the pass mark was fixed prior to the examination or after. When the answers were not forthcoming, it became clear that it was pure vendetta against my person.”

He wouldn’t answer further questions, insisting that this reporter should visit the EFCC to assess his exams script himself.

But the EFCC insisted Mr. Aduda indeed failed the examination and that he was not victimized in any way.

“This matter you are talking about has to do with his employment history with the commission and the records are there,” EFCC Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said. “Besides, the EFCC does not have a history of victimizing present or past employees. The person involved in this matter has moved on and the commission would not like to comment any further on the matter.”

Am still trying to figure out how we keep finding ourselves in this kinds of situation. How can a man who failed am examination be promoted to a higher responsibility. You can not handle a junior responsibility but you are given an even higher one to handle, does it now surprise Nigerians why things are the way they are in the country.

It is bad enough to have round pegs in square holes, now we have hexagons in square holes too. My lord, when will merit ever work in this country. SaveUSLord.