The Senate has suspended the confirmation of the nominee to the position of Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Samuel Ukura, over irregular procedure leading to the nomination.

Ukura’s name was sent to the Senate for confirmation by President Umaru Yar’Adua in October last year and he had appeared before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in November for screening.

But the Senate leadership had discovered irregularities and a breach of procedure in his appointment, leading to the suspension of the consideration of the report prepared by the PAC on his screening.

Sources confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that some documents in possession of the leadership of the Senate indicated that certain officials in the Presidency breached provisions of government circular and regulations while recommending Ukura for nomination by President Yar’Adua.

It was gathered that the officials violated a June 9, 2009 memo by the president, which mandated the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, to process the appointment of the AGF with a view to appointing one of the most senior directors in the Auditor-General’s office.

The officials in the Presidency rather than allow the SGF to process the appointment, rooted it through the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. David Edevbie, who prepared the nomination for the president.

The memo ignored by the presidential aides reads: “Attached is a letter Ref. APSAN/HQ/ADMIN/Vol. 1/35 dated May 21, 2009 from the Association of Public Service Auditors of Nigeria (APSAN) addressed to His Excellency, Mr. President on the above subject matter.

“Specifically, the letter is an appeal to His Excellency, Mr. President to consider appointing any of the most senior directors in the office of the Auditor-General for the Federation to fill the vacant position of the Auditor General in the interest of public sector auditing.”