Former Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) Commissioner, Barrister Henry Omoregie Williams Idahagbon, has accused Senator Adams Oshiomhole of orchestrating a campaign against his reappointment over his refusal to manipulate civil service recruitment in favour of the senator’s associate.
In a petition addressed to the Senate President, Idahagbon described Oshiomhole’s opposition to his renomination as being driven by personal vendetta rather than any genuine concern about integrity. He was responding to allegations by the Edo North senator and former Edo State governor that he was unfit for office due to alleged fraud during his tenure at the FCSC.
Idahagbon dismissed the corruption claims as “false, malicious, reckless, and completely unsupported by any evidence”, stressing that they were made under parliamentary privilege. He challenged Oshiomhole to repeat the allegations outside the Senate chamber, where, he said, facts rather than insinuations would be required.
According to the petitioner, the dispute dates back to 15 August 2023, when Oshiomhole allegedly forwarded an examination number belonging to “a lady personally associated with him” and requested that she be ensured a pass and promotion. Idahagbon said the candidate failed the examination “woefully”, adding that he refused to interfere with the process in line with civil service rules.
He claimed to be in possession of the candidate’s examination scripts, which he said showed “abysmally low scores”, and offered to submit them to the Senate for independent verification. Any intervention, he argued, would have amounted to “outright fraud and abuse of office”.
Idahagbon further alleged that his refusal angered the senator, leading to more than an hour of verbal abuse in the presence of
He also linked Oshiomhole’s hostility to political disagreements ahead of the 2024 Edo State governorship election, noting that he publicly opposed the senator’s backing of a candidate from Edo South on the grounds of equity, zoning, and allegations of financial compromise.
Describing the situation as ironic, Idahagbon noted that Oshiomhole had previously appointed or recommended him for several sensitive roles, including Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Edo State, Secretary-General of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation, and nominee to the FCSC. He questioned how the senator could now label him corrupt after years of trust and collaboration.
Addressing the substance of the allegations, Idahagbon explained that a federal embargo on employment had been in place since 2020, with only a special waiver in 2023 allowing the recruitment of 1,350 persons nationwide, including just 18 slots for Edo State. He disclosed that the first person employed under his Edo allocation was Taofiq Oshiomhole, urging the Senate to verify the appointment letters.
On promotions, he maintained that the process at the FCSC is collective and institutional, making it impossible for a single commissioner to manipulate outcomes. He added that the allegations had caused serious reputational damage to him and his family, describing it as the first time in his public career he had been accused of corruption.
Idahagbon called on the Senate to invite him to defend himself, compel Oshiomhole to substantiate his claims, and prevent what he described as the abuse of parliamentary privilege for personal grievances, while upholding his constitutional right to fair hearing.
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