Weeks after naming his son, Olukayode Jnr., as one of the 23 new judges of the Federal High Court, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, has now appointed his younger brother, Adebayo Ariwoola, as the new auditor for the National Judicial Council (NJC).
This move has raised concerns about the influence of family connections in important roles within the judiciary.
Adebayo will be responsible for overseeing the NJC’s internal audit unit, which ensures financial integrity and compliance. Critics worry that this appointment could compromise objectivity and ethical standards.
Chido Onumah, a champion against corruption, pointed out the difficulty that the appointment brings to transparency.
“It is about transparency here. There is no chance that the auditor will do anything to the detriment of his older brother, and there lies the fundamental issue with the appointment,” he said.
He emphasized the conflict of interest that arises due to the auditor’s family connections. Recognizing the right of civil servants to aim for higher positions, public affairs analyst Lanre Suraj stressed the importance of being more aware of conflicts of interest in such appointments.
Suraj emphasized the significance of an unbiased and independent auditor who adheres to public standards of fairness and openness.
“For me, I think it will be more than important for the CJN and the NJC to find a way around it without putting both the office of the CJN and that of the auditor in that moral complications and burden before the public,” he noted.
Juwon Sanyaolu, a member of the Take-it-Back Movement, raised worries about a larger tendency in government institutions, expressing worry about a lack of regard for public perception and opinion.
He condemned the trend, describing it as “improper and condemnable.”
“We are witnessing a system of ‘anything goes’ under the ruling All Progressives Congress where senior public officials have no regard for what is publicly tenable,” he added.
