Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa says his administration remains dedicated to making merit-based appointments into the Office of Permanent Secretary (PS).

Mr Fintiri made this declaration while announcing the results of the 2026 permanent secretaries’ qualifying examination on Wednesday in Yola.

According to the governor, the examination, introduced at the start of his administration, was intended to eliminate favouritism and nepotism within the state civil service.

He explained that the aim of this policy was to ensure only competent and deserving officers attained the position of permanent secretary, which had improved professionalism across the state civil service.

Mr Fintiri noted that although several candidates met the required standards, only one candidate could emerge from each eligible local government area where vacancies existed.

“I urge unsuccessful candidates not to be discouraged, because there is still another opportunity to compete whenever vacancies arise in your respective local government areas,” Mr Fintiri said.

He further described the examination conducted by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) as credible and transparent, highlighting that candidates’ identities were concealed from examiners during marking.

He added that the process ensured fairness and granted every candidate an equal chance of success.

Mr Fintiri acknowledged that examination anxiety could impact candidates’ performance but maintained that the qualifying exam remained the most transparent and dependable method for selecting permanent secretaries.

He congratulated the successful candidates and urged them to perform their duties with diligence, integrity and professionalism.

Earlier, the Head of Service, Isa Ardo, explained that the examination took place on 12 and 13 May, following vacancies in seven local government areas.

Mr Ardo stated that 22 candidates participated in the examination and that no candidate qualified from Toungo Local Government Area.

He also noted that the highest-scoring candidate from each eligible local government area would be recommended for appointment as permanent secretary.

The head of service praised Mr Fintiri for maintaining a transparent, fair and merit-based appointment process, affirming that it had bolstered confidence in the state civil service.

(NAN)