Moghalu Condemns Adedeji’s APC Fundraising Role, Warns Against Politicizing Revenue Agency
Abuja, August 24, 2026 — Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, has strongly criticized the appointment of Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Executive Chairman Dr. Zacch Adedeji as Deputy Director of Fundraising in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, warning that the politicization of key government agencies prioritizes loyalty over competence and breeds bad governance.
In a statement shared on X, Moghalu argued that the growing involvement of heads of public institutions in partisan political activities is one of the core reasons effective governance remains elusive in Nigeria.
He stated that in systems where there is no clear separation between independent public institutions and party politics, political loyalty often becomes the primary measure of success rather than performance and results.
“The politicization of the positions of heads of agencies in Nigeria is one of the reasons governance is not happening,” Moghalu said.
He noted that the practice frequently produces incompetence and ineffective administration because allegiance, rather than measurable outcomes, becomes the key metric of assessment.
Moghalu cited the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a period when political operatives and technocrats were deliberately kept in distinct roles.
He said Obasanjo understood who his political fixers were while allowing professionals to discharge their duties without undue interference.
He contrasted Nigeria’s situation with China, where technocrats are expected to remain loyal to the ruling party within a clear ideological framework centred on national ambition, transformation, and development.
Nigeria, Moghalu argued, lacks a comparable unifying philosophical vision capable of aligning political leadership and public administration around shared national objectives. Without such a framework, the mixing of partisan politics with public service continues to reward political allegiance over effective performance.
The comments come amid wider controversy over Adedeji’s inclusion in the APC campaign structure.
The Presidency recently released the list of the 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, naming President Bola Tinubu as Chairman, with Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun as Director of Fundraising and Adedeji as one of his deputies.
Opposition figures, including former Senator Dino Melaye, have also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, arguing that a serving head of the nation’s revenue-collecting agency should not hold an operational fundraising role in a partisan campaign while bound by Public Service Rules and ethical guidelines. Melaye has indicated he intends to test the appointment in court.
Adedeji, who has overseen significant reforms and revenue growth at the NRS (formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service), has not publicly responded to the criticisms. Supporters of the appointment have previously praised his technocratic contributions to fiscal reforms under the current administration.
Moghalu’s intervention adds a prominent technocratic voice to the debate over the boundaries between public service and partisan politics.
He stressed that politicians should not interfere with the work of professionals heading critical government agencies, warning that continued politicization risks further weakening public institutions and perpetuating poor governance outcomes.
As the 2027 election cycle intensifies, the appointment of serving public officials to campaign roles is likely to remain a flashpoint in discussions about institutional neutrality, conflict of interest, and the integrity of Nigeria’s public service.
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