A coalition of civil society organisations under the Civil Society Alliance Against Corruption and Abuse of Office (CSAACAO) has urged President Bola Tinubu to remove Surveyor Akande Moruf Adetunji from public office over allegations of misconduct, abuse of office and violations of public service ethics.
The coalition also called on the President to order a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, saying such action was necessary to protect the integrity of the public service and reinforce accountability in government.
The demands were contained in an open letter jointly signed by the National Coordinator of CSAACAO, Comrade Gbenga Akande, and the National Secretary, Comrade Ishaya Abdullaziz, on behalf of 20 affiliated civil society organisations.
According to the coalition, Adetunji is accused of professional misconduct, abuse of official authority, intimidation, misuse of office for personal gain, sponsorship of defamatory publications against another public officer, unethical conduct, media manipulation, and alleged administrative and financial irregularities during his time in office.
The group further alleged that the public officer is involved in an ongoing court case and claimed that a bench warrant had reportedly been issued for his arrest. It argued that, if verified, such circumstances would be incompatible with continued service in a sensitive public position.
CSAACAO also alleged that Adetunji had reached the statutory retirement age but had failed to complete his retirement process by allegedly refusing to submit the required retirement documents and withholding official records.
It contended that, if proven, the alleged actions could amount to breaches of the Public Service Rules, the Pension Reform Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
The coalition warned that retaining a public officer facing such allegations could undermine public confidence in the Federal Government’s anti-corruption efforts, weaken the credibility of disciplinary processes within the civil service and create the impression that official misconduct is tolerated.
While recognising the constitutional presumption of innocence, the coalition maintained that public officials occupying sensitive positions should temporarily step aside whenever credible allegations are raised against them, pending the outcome of investigations.
Among its recommendations, CSAACAO urged President Tinubu to remove Adetunji from office in the public interest, direct a full investigation into all allegations against him, and mandate the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the reported court matter and other related issues.
The coalition further requested that anyone found culpable after investigation should be prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian law.
Copies of the petition were forwarded to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission and the ICPC.
As of the time of filing this report, Surveyor Akande Moruf Adetunji had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the petition. The claims have not been independently verified, while the Presidency has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
