‘Dead Toll’ Rises To 8 In President Buhari’s Board Appointments List

The death toll on the board appointments list released by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Friday has increased to eight.
The number of dead people appointed into boards of federal agencies and corporations has risen to eight.

Initially, only three persons were confirmed dead on the list of appointees released on Friday by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha..

Further checks have revealed at least eight dead persons at the time of filing this report.

One of the appointees, Senator Francis Okpozo died as an octogenerian on December 26, 2016. President Buhari issued a statement of condolence on December 27, 2016.

Then there’s Reverend Father Chris Utov, the proprietor of Fidei Polytechnic, Gboko who passed away on March 17, 2017, and was named to the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research.

Six other deceased persons were named in the list.

Donald Ugbaja, who died in November 2017, was named to the Consumer Protection Council.

Kabir Umar, a former Emir of Katagum in Bauchi state was picked to join the board of the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, also in Bauchi. He died on December 9.

Magdalene Kumu, was appointed a member, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). Kunu, who is from Taraba State, is equally late.

Three other dead persons identified in the list are Garba Attahiru, appointed to chair the board of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and hailed from Kaduna State; Umar Dange, appointed to the board of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta and hailed from Sokoto State.

Also in the dead men’s list is Dr. Nabbs Imegwu, a former commissioner for culture and tourism in Rivers State, he was appointed to the board of the National Orthopedic Hospitals.

There are fears that the death toll may rise to 10 by year-end after more ‘post-mortem’ is conducted on the list.

But presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu has downplayed the controversy, calling it a storm in a tea cup.

According to Mallam Shehu, there was nothing scandalous about the list, which he insists was valid at the time it was compiled.