A former Commissioner of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Henry Idahagbon, has petitioned the Senate President, accusing Senator Adams Oshiomhole of making “reckless, false and malicious” allegations of corruption against him during a Senate confirmation hearing.
In the petition dated and addressed to the Senate President, Idahagbon said Oshiomhole’s objection to his reappointment was based on “a sweeping allegation of corruption in recruitment and promotion activities at the Federal Civil Service Commission,” which he described as “completely unsupported by any evidence.
“I state categorically, unequivocally, and without reservation that this allegation is false, malicious, reckless, and completely unsupported by any evidence,” Idahagbon declared, adding that the only reason he had not instituted a libel action was because the statement was made under parliamentary privilege.”
He challenged the Edo North senator to repeat the allegations outside the Senate chamber, saying, “where privilege does not apply and where facts, not insinuations, are required.”
Idahagbon, whose tenure as FCSC commissioner expired on 26 August 2025 before his renomination by the President, alleged that Oshiomhole’s action was driven by personal grievances arising from his refusal to compromise civil service recruitment processes.
According to the petitioner, on 15 August 2023, Oshiomhole forwarded an examination number belonging to “a lady personally associated with him” and instructed that she be ensured a pass and promotion.
Idahagbon said the candidate “failed the examination woefully,” adding, “I refused to interfere with or manipulate the process, in strict adherence to the rules governing civil service examinations and promotions.”
He further claimed to be in possession of the candidate’s examination scripts, which he said showed “miserable performance and abysmally low scores,” and offered to submit them to the Senate for independent verification.
“Any intervention on my part would have amounted to outright fraud and abuse of office,” he said, alleging that following his refusal, Oshiomhole “became visibly incensed” and later subjected him to over an hour of verbal abuse in the presence of a legal practitioner who could testify to the incident.
The former commissioner also linked the senator’s hostility to political disagreements over the 2024 Edo State governorship election, saying he openly opposed Oshiomhole’s support for a candidate from Edo South, citing equity, zoning principles, and public allegations of financial compromise.
“I canvassed this position openly and in good conscience, solely in the interest of equity, fairness, and political balance,” Idahagbon stated, noting that he articulated these views during a nationally televised interview.
He described it as “ironic” that Oshiomhole now labels him corrupt, given that the senator had previously appointed or recommended him for several sensitive positions, including Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Edo State, Secretary-General of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation, and nominee for appointment to the Federal Civil Service Commission.
“If I am truly corrupt as now alleged, should his judgment, discernment, and credibility not be seriously questioned?” Idahagbon asked in the petition.
He further accused Oshiomhole of misrepresenting senatorial status at plenary, stressing that the senator does not represent his district. “Senator Oshiomhole is not my Senator. He represents Edo North Senatorial District. I am from Edo South,” he said.
Addressing the substance of the corruption claim, Idahagbon stated that there had been a federal embargo on employment since 2020, except for a special 2023 waiver that allowed recruitment of 1,350 persons nationwide, with only 18 slots allocated to Edo State.
“The first person employed on my Edo allocation was Taofiq Oshiomhole,” he disclosed, adding that he had attached copies of employment letters and urged the Senate to independently verify them. “If any one of them proves that he or she paid me one naira in connection with employment, I will voluntarily submit myself to the EFCC,” he said.
On promotion matters, Idahagbon maintained that promotions at the FCSC are “a collective, transparent, and institutional process,” making it “impossible for a single Commissioner to unilaterally influence or manipulate the process.”
He said the allegations had caused serious reputational damage, noting that his family, including his children, had been inundated with calls since the Senate session.
“This is the first time in my entire public career that I have been accused of corruption,” he said.
Idahagbon urged the Senate to invite him to defend himself, compel Oshiomhole to substantiate his claims, and discourage what he described as “the abuse of parliamentary privilege for personal vendetta,” while upholding his constitutional right to fair hearing.
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