The bribe-for-appointment phenomenon

Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi, the “director-general” of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), said something mouth-watering shortly before he was arrested and flown to Abuja: that he took a loan of N400 million to pay a bribe to secure the appointment and that his creditors have reported him to the EFCC. The briber did not name the bribee — presumably for legal reasons — but this claim adds yet another layer to the storm surrounding the PFIPC, which was assigned an office at the Federal Secretariat, got an allocation of N1.3 billion in the 2026 federal budget, and received a waiver from the office of the head of service to recruit 300 members of staff.

The PFIPC has now been officially described by the federal government as “fake” (what a grievous self-indictment and international embarrassment). Adeniyi is now known as “self-styled DG” of a “fake agency”. I am very much aware that this case is now in court. Adeniyi is charged with forgery and impersonation. I am, therefore, constrained in the extent to which I can comment on this saga. All I can say is that Adeniyi and his entire packaging never inspired me at any point in time. A simple glance at him from head to toe sets off alarm bells in my head. But, if the truth be told, that is also how I feel about many of our legislators. Adeniyi would fit perfectly into the National Assembly.

What I would like to comment on today is the bribe-for-appointment saga. I have been hearing rumours that appointments are sold and bought in Abuja. I was once told that many aspiring appointees bribe to get on the lucky list and may also have to pay another bribe to be made chairman, DG or executive secretary (ES). While I do not dispute the rumours because I know anything is possible in my dearly beloved country, I have hardly heard anyone come out to openly declare that they paid a bribe to be appointed. Likewise, nobody has ever confessed to me in private that they paid a bribe to get a position. So, I file everything under “juicy but unconfirmed rumours”.

However, sometime in 2021, a friend came to me for advice. She is a Nigerian patriot and someone I respect for her intellect and diligence. She was interested in heading a federal agency which she believes would allow her to contribute her quota to national development. She was nominated by her governor. But there was a problem: someone took her to a “committee” sitting somewhere in Abuja for “vetting” and she was asked to pay N25 million for her name to make the final list to be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari. She said the committee seemed to be genuine, so she asked for my opinion on what to do. I told her bribing to serve her country was “anathema” and improper.

Although she took my advice, she was still convinced that those guys were not scammers. They told her they had just finalised a set of appointments for an agency and that announcements would be made the following day. To my friend’s shock, it happened as they told her. This was what convinced her that those guys were not playing games. What she did not know was that there are scammers who trade in information — and it is such accuracy that gives them the “legitimacy” to scam desperate Nigerians. This is not to make light of legitimate allegations that people actually pay to get appointments, but the point here is that these scammers may also have access to inside information.

One case even went to court. In October 2023, Senator Andy Uba was charged to court by the police over allegations that he collected N400 million (that figure again) from Mr George Uboh in 2022 with a promise to make him the managing director of the extremely juicy Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Uba was charged to a federal high court alongside Mr Benjamin Etu and Hajiya Fatima. In November 2025, the police suddenly terminated the case, informing the court that the parties “have resolved and settled all disputes, claims, and liabilities arising from or connected with the transaction”. In other words, bribery is “dispute” and extortion is “transaction”. Well done, guys.

Many moons ago, I was told of a presidential aide who was privileged to see the list of ministerial nominees in advance. He immediately developed a plan. He called some of the nominees to inform them that their names were on the list but that they were about to be dropped because of intrigues. He told them he would do his best to persuade the president to ignore the “powerful interests” and go ahead to appoint them. It goes without saying that this would require them to “shake body” for the favour to be granted. When those ones eventually became ministers, they became beholden to him and treated him “very well”. People started calling him the most influential presidential aide.

I am genuinely not bothered about those who have been scammed into paying bribes to secure appointments. Why? If you truly want to serve Nigeria, why should you bribe? Is it that you love Nigeria so much that you are ready to take a debt of N400 million to serve your motherland? That is the kind of story you tell the marines and they would fall for it without let or hindrance. If you pay N400 million to serve your country, you will certainly hope to get handsome returns. You cannot love Nigeria so much that you will not mind going bankrupt in order to serve her. God forgive me, but if you are scammed N400 million in a desperate attempt to serve Nigeria, I think it serves you right.

What I genuinely worry about is a situation where someone pays a bribe to get an appointment and actually gets it. That is the bit that should worry us, all of us. I am aware of stories of how vacancies in federal agencies are sold. It is called “job racketeering”. These are entry-level appointments. If parents truly bribe to get slots for their children — or applicants themselves do so — what kind of public service do we think we are building? A meritocratic and efficient public service that will be a cog in the wheel of governance? Or an inept and corrupt public service that will be a clog in the wheel of progress? And we keep on lamenting and asking why our public service is like this?

Let us imagine an agency populated by those who paid a bribe to be employed. Add to that the fact that the executive chairman, MD, DG or ES paid a N400 million bribe to get there. What kind of public service are we going to end up with? What kind of country are we going to end up with? Bureaucracies are the brainbox of government. They formulate and execute policies. They implement laws made by the National Assembly. They run the government day by day. A country like the UK harvests first-class products from its best universities to run its public service. In Nigeria, we sell slots or drag in the dregs of society as political favours. And we still wonder why Nigeria is like this!

That is why, as an advocate of “don’t let a good crisis go to waste”, I am pleading with President Bola Tinubu, by the mercies of God, not to sweep this Adeniyi scandal under the carpet. This is an opportunity to address the bribe-for-appointment menace. I am not liking the vibes I am getting already. It is looking like the enablers of the scandal will not be touched and only Adeniyi will carry the can. There are some steps I would have loved to be taken only after the presidential probe is concluded, but it seems the cart is being put before the horse. I am quietly praying that many heads will roll eventually and we will lay down the marker, going forward. Can I get a good amen to that?

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

FORFEITURE FESTIVAL

On Wednesday, a federal high court, Abuja, granted a final forfeiture order on properties valued at N212 billion traced to Mr Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice. On Thursday, an FCT high court granted a final forfeiture of properties linked to Ms Aisha Achimugu, a businesswoman and founder of Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd. And on Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the final forfeiture of properties and $2.045 million linked to Mr Godwin Emefiele, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). We cannot accuse the EFCC and judiciary of not doing their job but I have one question: hope these assets will not be re-looted? Pondering.

PDP PALAVER

Friday’s ruling by a federal high court in Abuja recognising the Chief Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) effectively puts to rest the judicial confusion over the crisis in the party. I am aware that it is subject to appeal, but at least we now know the legally recognised faction until a higher court rules otherwise. That means the faction that gave its presidential ticket to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan is not known to law and the presidential candidate of the PDP is Prof Sandy Onor, whom I am sure most Nigerians had never heard of until now. Of course, we all know the farce going on. Two people cannot miss a lie. If the hearer does, the liar does not. Comedy.

END OF THE ROAD

For years, I have been asking myself why officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) operate on township roads. From the name, “federal road”, I would have sworn that their duty was ensuring safety on only federal roads, but I see them all the time operating at strategic corners on local roads. A federal high court sitting in Kano has now determined that FRSC’s activities should not extend to state and local government roads. M.S. Shuaibu, the presiding judge, ruled that FRSC officers act outside their statutory powers by stopping, questioning and delaying motorists on township roads. I believe this is a sound judgment. I won’t be surprised if superior courts uphold it. Commonsensical.

NO COMMENT

I was not expecting the 2026 World Cup finals to be exciting after all the scandals around ticket pricing, weather warnings and President Donald Trump-inspired dramas around Iran and denial of visas. But I thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup. It kept me awake at night. There was a match I watched till 4am without blinking. I was looking forward to a World Cup final between France and England for sentimental reasons (I have favourite players in both teams), but I will now have to make do with unexciting Spain and badly-behaved Argentina. For once, I will be watching a World Cup final without supporting either team. I wish both of them could lose this evening. Hahahaha.

•Written By Simon Kolawole