President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced the recently appointed acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Chukwuyere Anamekwe, amid corruption allegations. 

Mr Anamekwe has been replaced with Okolieaboh Ezeoke Sylva, a former Treasury Single Account Director, who will oversee the department as the civil service scrambles for a replacement.  

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, has issued calls for members to apply for the vacant position.  

In a memo titled “Commencement of the process of appointment of a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation”, Mrs Yemi-Esan urged permanent secretaries to forward details of eligible directors to her before Wednesday. 

“Those who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Grade 17) on or before January 1, 2020, and are not retiring from the service earlier than December 31, 2024 are eligible to participate in the selection process while officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded,” the memo said.

Mr Anamekwe’s removal comes amid corruption allegations posed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was appointed in May by Mr Buhari after an investigation was launched against the ousted AGF, Ahmed Idris, over allegations that he stole and laundered more than N80 billion of public funds.

The EFCC arrested Mr Idris on May 16 in Kano after he refused to respond to invitations to answer questions about the fraud charges.