Following the public outrage that heralded last week’s appointment of Oluseun Onigbinde as a Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the data analyst and Co-founder of BudgIT just announced that he is turning down the offer.
Making the announcement via Medium, Onigbinde said that his decision to step down came after he thought long and hard about the development and people’s reactions.
With my belief that trust is important a success and that humans are just replaceable stewards, here is my update.
Thank you and God bless.
“AN UPDATE ON MY RECENT APPOINTMENT” by Oluseun Onigbinde https://t.co/PzdTa6xXcA
— Olúseun Onígbińdé (@seunonigbinde) September 16, 2019
“Upon further reflections on the furore that has been generated by my new role as the Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, I humbly resign the appointment.”
Onigbinde also stated that the media coverage of the appointment last week “created a complex narrative”. This, he believes, would have made it difficult for him to function optimally in the new role.
[READ: BudgIT’s Co-founder gets Federal Government appointment]
He then expressed his gratitude for having been considered for the important role, even as he appreciated all those who reached out to him with congratulatory messages following the appointment.
Note that Onigbinde’s resignation as the Technical Adviser to the Ministry is coming barely days after the announcement was made public. And despite that unexpected turn of events, he said he remains committed to the important process of nation-building.
“My sincere interest is to see a Nigeria that grows and optimises resources for the benefits of all Nigerians.
“My loyalty to the good cause of our nation, Nigeria compelled me to accept the call to provide technical skills and this experience has more than strengthened it.”
Surprisingly, Onigbinde also expressed a rare public support for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. According to him, he will use his capacity as the Director of BudgIT to provide support to the Federal Government when need be.
BudgIT, on its own, will continue “to build civic awareness on the right of every Nigerian to know how public resources are managed.”
Recall that Nairametrics reported about the public outrage that met Onigbinde’s appointment last week. Many Nigerians were surprised that he even accepted the job in the first place, fearing that BudeIT would become “compromised” following the development. Some others even called him a hypocrite for accepting to work for the same government he has been so critical of over the years.
[READ: Nigerians berate BudgIT’s Onigbinde for accepting a government job]
In the meantime, the man is trending again on Twitter, just like he did last week Friday. This time, Nigerians’ have mixed reactions to the news of Onigbinde’s surprise resignation. Twitter user, Demola Aliyu Adeniran believes he should be applauded for finally doing the right thing. Ayo Sogunro agrees.
Please applaud Seun Onigbinde for providing a dignified closure to what looked like a misadventure of futuristic proportions, through resignation.
I have wondered how he would navigate the oddity of drinking from the same river he openly defecated into for years.
— Demola Aliyu Adeniran (@Demurleigh) September 16, 2019
From my own point of view, Seun has done the right thing here.
Activists must not allow the hope of doing good for the country blind them to the realities of working under a deliberately bad govt.
“AN UPDATE ON MY RECENT APPOINTMENT” by Seun Onigbinde https://t.co/h4hGhl367H
— Ayo Sogunro (@ayosogunro) September 16, 2019
But Dipo Awojide does not quite agree. Instead, he believes Nigeria just missed an important opportunity of having one of its best brains serve the country.
We need the best of the best in government. We need our best brains/clever minds to help Ministers, Senators and even the President get the work of governance done. Its a shame that we have lost 2 brilliant guys over Twitter madness. First it was Olu Onemola, now Seun Onigbinde.
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) September 16, 2019
Meanwhile, one Omo Baba Oke is screaming “shame” on Onigbinde for choosing to settle for the role of the critic instead of that of a change maker.
Shame on Seun Onigbinde . So he chose to settle as a critic rather than be a change maker…. all because of what people will say? Grabbing the appointment initially already prove who he really was, but dropping the appointment shows how worse he can be. Shame!!! pic.twitter.com/jG9CVg9Q0G
— Arc. Omo Baba Òkè (@lord_haywire07) September 16, 2019
It doesn’t make sense since he already accepted the role…
“Log kya kahenge”