Civil Society Coalition Calls for Resignation of NAHCON Board Members Over Governance Crisis
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Muhammad Nda Auwal, the coalition said it reviewed the ongoing dispute within NAHCON and expressed alarm over the conduct of some Board members, warning that the situation could erode public trust, disrupt Hajj preparations, and damage Nigeria’s international standing.
The group stated that Board members who are subjects of ongoing or inherited cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lack the moral authority to sit in judgment over the management of the Commission.
According to the statement, unresolved integrity issues undermine the credibility of any oversight role and render allegations against NAHCON’s management questionable.
The coalition faulted what it described as vague accusations and public insinuations made without evidence, noting that no specific dates, transactions, contract references, or audit queries have been presented to substantiate claims of misconduct.
The group further outlined what it described as established operational facts within NAHCON, including that all financial transactions require endorsements from the Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics, Monitoring and Finance (PPMF), Accounts, and Internal Audit before payments are made.
It added that procurement decisions at the Commission are committee-based, properly documented, and subject to statutory review, stressing that cases allegedly linked to the EFCC were inherited and involved some Commissioners who are now, according to the coalition, positioning themselves as moral arbiters.
The statement also maintained that Board members have no statutory power under the NAHCON Act to pass or communicate a vote of no confidence in the Chairman of the Commission.
Beyond the dispute, the coalition accused some Board members of engaging in acts of internal sabotage, including unauthorized postings, issuance of official correspondence without executive approval, defiance of lawful directives, and attempts to assume operational roles not provided for by law.
It described such actions as insubordination and institutional vandalism capable of destabilizing the Commission.
The coalition therefore demanded the immediate resignation of all Board members with pending or inherited EFCC cases, arguing that oversight cannot be credible under the cloud of unresolved investigations.
It also called for the resignation of any Board member involved in issuing what it described as an unlawful vote of no confidence, insisting that accountability must begin with those who claim to uphold it.
“Nigeria’s Hajj administration is not a battleground for personal ambition or power struggles,” the statement read, adding that the Commission represents a national trust involving lives, diplomacy, and international obligations.
The group urged the Presidency and relevant authorities to intervene in the national interest, stressing the need for stability at NAHCON and strict adherence to the rule of law.
