By Samson Adewale
On the 13th of August 2025. Mr. President approved the recommendations of the Minister of State Finance for the re appointment of Mr. Amos Isaac Azi, as the chairman of and IST, and Gbenga Ganiyu Oyekanmi, member for the 2nd and final term of 5 and 4 years respectively, as well as the appointment of 10 other new members of the Tribunal in accordance with the extant provisions the ISA 2025.
Letters conveying Mr. president’s approval was appropriately issued by the Permanent Secretary/accounting officer of the federal ministry of finance on the 21st of August 2025. The Tribunal was thus fully constituted and commenced its statutory functions.
Subsequently, on the 30th of September 2025, the news media reported via a statement issued by the director of press in the SGF’s office alleging that the same Mr President had appointed one Aminu Jinadu as the new chairman of the IST.
The questions that beg for answers are: on whose recommendation did the President approve the appointment of the said Jinadu, did Jinadu’s appointment meet the requirements of the provisions of the ISA 2025, between MoF and the SGF who has the statutory rights to recommend to the President the persons eligible to be appointed as chairman and members of the IST?.
A casual look at the appointment letter of Jinadu as obtained from the social media shows his appointment was dated 24th of September and allegedly in accordance with 315 and 319of the “Investment and Security Tribunal Act 2025”. Is there such a law and agency in the country?
A quick check shows that there’s no such an Act. why would the SGF issue an appointment based on a non existant Act and agency?. Why would the SGF issue an appointment letter relying on a nonexistent Act?. And even if otherwise, why would SGF issue such an appointment when the chairman’s office isn’t vacant?.
By the extant provisions of the ISA 2025, it’s the Minister of Finance that has the statutory powers to recommend for both the appointment and removal of the IST chairman.
The action of the SGF tends to give credit to the story that appointments are sold to the highest bidders by people in authority and close to the Mr. President. The action also shows that some people are deliberately putting the credibility of the government in question.
It also shows that the good intentions of Mr. President president is being sabotaged by people occupying otherwise strategic positions in the government. It portrays gross incompetence, lack of capacity, and corruption in the system. A casual look at the profile of Aminu Jinadu shows that he doesn’t even have the statutory minimum 15 years post call to the bar experience in capital market law and practice to even be considered for such a technical and specific knowledge based appointment. Certainly, the SGF and his irks are causing serious reputational damage to the government. Mr Jinadu, on the 2nd of October 2025, in a commodore style, went to Tribunal’s premises with heavily armed security personnel in an attempt to forcefully take over.
The security personnel that he came with, harassed the staff and scuttled the court proceedings for that day.
The incompetent and corrupt Chief Registrar (CR) not only gave him access of the Tribunal premises, he also quickly organised a meeting with the Directorate staff of the Tribunal, where all questions about genuiness and integrity of Jinadu’s appointment were not answered, and instead he offered to staff present the of 5m.
How much he offered to the CR can rightly be guessed. Since Jinadu offered 5m to staff, how much did he offer to the SGF and his urchins to facilitate the issuance of the appointment and also go to press?.
Adewale, writes from Abuja
