‘I’m the senior’ — crisis brews in CCB as Kankia rejects purported appointment of acting chair

Murtala Kankia, the acting chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has debunked the claim that Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, a former member of the house of representatives, has been appointed to replace him at the bureau.

On Thursday, a letter purportedly signed by George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), announced the appointment of Agbonayinma by President Bola Tinubu as the chairman of CCB.

But in an internal memo released by Kankia and sighted by TheCable, the acting chairman of CCB described the letter as “fake, misleading and does not emanate from the office of the secretary to the government of the federation”.

Kankia said he is the most senior ranking member of the bureau, adding that he remains the acting chairman of the agency until further directives from the president.

“My attention has been drawn to a circular which emanates from Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, a federal commissioner claiming to be appointed by the president and C in C of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Acting Chairman, CCB,” the memo reads.

“The truth of the matter is, Barrister Murtala Aliyu Kankia having served for an initial Five (5) years term and was re-appointed as a member of the Bureau in 2018 and 2023 respectively, remains the most senior ranking member of the Bureau, hence he is now acting as Chairman pending further directives of the President to avoid leadership vacuum.

“Mr. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma serving for the initial 5 years appointed in 2021 can not in any ramification claim seniority over the current Ag. Chairman (Murtaala Kankia).

“Determination of seniority between Murtala A. Kankiya, Barr. Benedict Umeano and Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma will be made by the SGF office, and whatever decision is taken in the best interest of the system and the country will be communicated formally to the Bureau by me and no other.

“Note further that the SGF letter did not specifically invite Murtala Kankiya to hand over to Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson as falsely speculated.”