Despite reaching the mandatory retirement age and completing the statutory eight-year tenure in the federal civil service today, August 15, 2025, Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, has refused to vacate his office, in what sources describe as a clear breach of the Public Service Rules.
Recall that on June 16, 2025, Leaders.ng reported on how there is a plot to illegally extend Aduda’s tenure.
Investigations by Leaders.ng reveal that Aduda, who was expected to hand over today, is still occupying his office and issuing directives as Permanent Secretary, a move many senior officials say is “not only illegal but dangerous” for the morale and integrity of the civil service.
Multiple insider sources confirmed that Aduda is leveraging a powerful coalition of supporters to entrench himself in office. Apart from the backing of the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Aduda has also reportedly secured the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Wike, sources disclosed, is politically aligned with Senator Philip Aduda, Gabriel’s elder brother and a long-time political associate of the former Rivers governor. This alliance, insiders say, has brought presidential-level lobbying into play, with Wike pulling strings at the Villa, while Badaru and Walson-Jack handle the bureaucratic side of the operation.
“This is a coordinated power play,” said a director in the Ministry of Defence who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation.
“Wike is using his access to the presidency to buy time for Aduda, while the HOS and Defence Minister are manipulating the process internally to make it look normal,” he added.
The director further alleged that the trio is acting not just out of loyalty but to protect themselves from exposure.
“There’s sleaze involved. Aduda didn’t operate in isolation. There are financial and administrative deals that could be unearthed if he leaves. His continued stay is to protect those implicated, including the minister and even officials in the OHCSF,” he said.
The decision to allow Aduda to remain in office has reportedly sparked discontent and anger among senior directors at the Ministry of Defence. Several of them are said to be planning to resist taking orders from him moving forward, creating what one insider described as a “cold mutiny.”
“This is not about personal ambition or tribal sentiments. It’s about the rule of law and the credibility of the service,” another senior director told Leaders.ng.
“We cannot have a situation where someone blatantly violates civil service rules and is rewarded with impunity,” he further stated.
One director added: “We are considering refusing to participate in meetings chaired by him. We’re ready to escalate this further if the right thing is not done.”
Beyond internal unrest, stakeholders warn that the situation could pose a national security risk.
“This is the Ministry of Defence we are talking about. At a time when the country is battling terrorism, banditry, and secessionist threats, we cannot afford a crisis of leadership or legitimacy within the ministry coordinating the response,” a top official said.
Security analysts are concerned that the tension could affect coordination between civilian staff and military leadership, compromising operations and weakening Nigeria’s security apparatus at a critical time.
Civil servants who spoke to Leaders.ng warned that President Bola Tinubu must intervene immediately before the situation escalates into a public embarrassment.
“If this is allowed to fester, it will not only dent the Renewed Hope agenda but also embolden others to flout rules with backing from political godfathers,” said one senior official.
Another added: “The president must demonstrate that no one is above the law. This is his litmus test for civil service reform and governance credibility.”
The situation is already generating whispers of revolt among civil servants in other ministries, who fear a precedent is being set that undermines merit, equity, and institutional discipline.
