Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has reaffirmed that appointments into the office of permanent secretary will continue to be based strictly on merit, stressing that competence remains the guiding principle of his administration.
The governor spoke on Wednesday in Yola while announcing the outcome of the 2026 Permanent Secretaries’ Qualifying Examination. He explained that the examination, introduced when he assumed office, was designed to eliminate favouritism and nepotism from the state’s civil service appointment process.
According to Mr Fintiri, the policy has helped ensure that only qualified and deserving officers attain the rank of permanent secretary, leading to improved professionalism and efficiency within the civil service.
He noted that although many candidates met the required benchmark, only one candidate could be selected from each local government area with an available vacancy.
The governor encouraged candidates who were unsuccessful not to lose hope, assuring them that they would have another opportunity to compete whenever vacancies become available in their respective local government areas.
Mr Fintiri also commended the integrity of the examination conducted by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), describing the process as transparent and credible. He explained that candidates’ identities were concealed during the marking process, ensuring fairness and equal treatment for everyone.
While acknowledging that examination pressure could affect performance, the governor maintained that the qualifying examination remains the most reliable and transparent method for appointing permanent secretaries.
He congratulated the successful candidates and urged them to discharge their responsibilities with dedication, integrity and professionalism.
Earlier, the Adamawa Head of Service, Isa Ardo, disclosed that the qualifying examination was held on May 12 and 13 following vacancies in seven local government areas.
Mr Ardo said 22 officers participated in the exercise, adding that no candidate from Toungo Local Government Area met the requirements for appointment.
He explained that only the highest-scoring candidate from each eligible local government area would be recommended for appointment as permanent secretary.
The head of service praised Governor Fintiri for sustaining a transparent, fair and merit-driven selection process, noting that it has strengthened confidence in the Adamawa State civil service.
(NAN)