Auditor-General of the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu held a thanksgiving mass at his native Ewatto, Esan community in Edo State on Sunday to celebrate his appointment

The service which was held at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Ewatto, Esan South Local Government Area of Edo State had Governor Godwin Obaseki in attendance.

The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for considering merit above everything in appointing Mr Aghughu as auditor-general.

Dignitaries at the church service included the Senator representing Edo South, Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo-Central), and the minister of state for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, among others.

Mr Obaseki said he was going to thank the president for considering merit above everything else, explaining that Mr Aghughu had certain values like honesty, hard work and diligence that earned him the job and that he would do well to continue to maintain those values.

“I am very proud that we have produced the auditor-general of the federation. This is the doing of the Lord because he has been applying for this position since 2018 and he is more than qualified, but the Lord, in His own time, has made it possible.

“He achieved this position not through any godfather, but through hard work. And I am a witness to it. I am a witness to the setbacks and the frustrations.

“You are not in that office on your own account. You are not there to represent your community Ewatto, and you are not there to represent Edo, but you are serving the Federal Republic of Nigeria and with that goal, you are serving all of us.

“Nobody put you there. It is God that put you there, so continue to do only that which is pleasing in the eyes of God,” the governor said.

Earlier, the officiating priest, Most Reverend Donatus Ogun, called on all leaders to allow the masses to feel their presence during their tenure in office.

Responding, Mr Aghughu assured them that he would be transparent and accountable to the people of Nigeria.