Unless there is something else that the President Bola Tinubu administration is not telling Nigerians, ‘dismissing’ a public servant without explaining the reason for the dismissal leaves room for public misconceptions about government action.

Development Diaries reports that President Tinubu on Monday ‘dismissed’ the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera, and the Director-General/CEO of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alexander Okoh, with immediate effect.

Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement, said that their dismissals conformed with plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies of the federal government towards protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers.

However, the use of the word ‘dismiss’ by the president’s spokesperson could be interpreted in different ways, including suggesting that Irukera and Okoh were dismissed for misconduct, and this is avoidable, especially if that was not the intention of the spokesperson.

Anyone who followed the affairs of Irukera during his time at the FCCPC can attest to his integrity, capacity, and responsiveness.

In 2023, the FCCPC said it generated over N56 billion, where 90 percent of the internally generated revenue (IGR) was obtained through the payment of penalties by defaulting companies in the country. In fact, Irukera said that the FCCPC remitted N22.4 billion to the federal government. The government has not disputed this report.

President Tinubu is at liberty to hire and fire a public servant as provided for in the Nigerian constitution. However, using ‘dismiss’ to announce the disengagement of a man who appeared to be an exceptional public servant is uncharitable to him; again, unless there is something else that the government is not telling Nigerians.

Development Diaries calls on Ngelale and other government spokespersons to ensure that their communication is always devoid of misconceptions about government actions.