Coalition Asks UBEC Boss To Resign Over Alleged Infractions

The Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC) has called for the immediate resignation of the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, over alleged lack of transparency and accountability.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the President of the Coalition, Comrade Odoh Dave, accused Garba of infractions, blatant disregard for the rule of law, and flagrant administrative misconduct.

Dave said the acts were not only dangerous to institutional growth but were capable of eroding public confidence in the Commission and the Federal Government’s commitment to education reform.

According to the Coalition, Garba was illegally implementing a new UBEC organogram without consulting the Commission’s Governing Board.

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It noted that this action clearly violates Section 6(h) of the UBE Act, which vests such approval exclusively in the board, and goes beyond just a simple technical overreach.

“Her unilaterally restructuring of reporting lines within the Commission has made the Executive Secretary assumed powers that are not hers to wield.

“We have confirmed, from independent insiders, that the supposed “new organogram” introduced is yet to be subjected to National Assembly oversight, and this action is a procedural violation.

“It is a danger to responsibility, and worse still, it is a possible legal catastrophe waiting to happen.

“Nevertheless, it is important that everyone understands that UBEC is a statutory body with a defined governance framework and oversight hierarchy. It is not a one-woman fiefdom.

“Leadership in such a sensitive agency demands fidelity to law, respect for institutions, and adherence to procedural orthodoxy. Dr. Garba’s conduct is a clear opposite of all these aforementioned.

“Furthermore, we have observed a creeping autocracy which has become the hallmark of her administration. It is a common knowledge within the agency that decisions are now being taken without due consultation, directives issued without collaborative deliberation, and staff sidelined without justification.

“What we are witnessing is not governance, rather, a tyranny that is deceptively clothed in bureaucratic camouflage.

“Moreover, it was also discovered that the deployment of officers from other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) into senior UBEC roles occurred while bypassing internal staff with experience, signaling not only a lack of trust in UBEC’s workforce, but also a deeper scheme to entrench personal loyalists within the system.

“The implications of such practices are catastrophic for the morale of the staffs and efficiency of the institution at large.

“Perhaps, it is also important to interrogate the growing allegations of corrupt enrichment and secret procurement processes under her leadership.

“Reports reaching ERAC from credible whistleblowers and concerned staff allege that the Executive Secretary, in connivance with certain vested interests, is at the center of an unethical cartel of contractors who are involved in selecting only those she personally approves and, in some cases, allegedly owning stakes in the awarded companies.

“Apparently, this practice contravene every known principle of public procurement, particularly the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and the Financial Regulations guiding expenditure in federal institutions.

“These allegations—if substantiated—are grave enough to warrant not just resignation, but a full forensic investigation by the anti-corruption agencies.”