Seun Onigbinde resigns over outrage on appointment

Seun Onigbinde, co-founder of BudgIT, has resigned his appointment as technical adviser at the ministry of budget and national planning.

Onigbinde’s appointment sparked off wild reactions from Nigerians on social media. A known critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, the tech expert was flayed for accepting to serve in an administration he once described as a failure.

On Sunday, the Buhari media Organisation (BMO) issued a statement, condemning the appointment of Onigbinde whom they said lacks honour and integrity for accepting to serve in a government he criticised.

But in a statement on his Medium page on Monday, Onigbinde announced he was quitting the job over the outrage.

”Kindly recall that I sent out a note recently on my interest to seek new experiences and that I would be working as a Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning for a short period,” he said.

”It is clear that recent media reports about my appointment have created a complex narrative, which I believe would engender an atmosphere of mistrust, as I planned to proceed.

”Upon further reflections on the furore that has been generated by my new role as the Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, I humbly resign the appointment.”

Onigbinde said his interest is to see a Nigeria that grows and optimises resources for the benefits of all Nigerians.

He said his loyalty to the good cause of the country compelled him to accept the call to provide technical skills, adding that his recent experience has more than strengthened it.

”I also want to wish the Nigerian Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, well. I will always be of help to the federal government in my capacity as the Director of BudgIT, a critical fiscal transparency group, as I have been to several agencies. I would also work to ensure that BudgIT continues to build civic awareness on the right of every Nigerian to know how public resources are managed,” he said.