FG Asked to Intervene as Rep Member Agbese Makes Key Allegations against UBEC Executive Secretary

• Philip Agbese, deputy spokesperson of the House of Reps, has accused Aisha Garba, the executive secretary of UBEC, of violating statutory provisions and centralising power
• Speaking during a legislative retreat in Lagos, Agbese raised concerns over the implementation of a new organogram without board approval
• The federal lawmaker called for federal intervention, a leadership audit, and possibly summoning Garba to answer questions before the House Committee on Basic Education

Lagos, Nigeria - Philip Agbese, a federal lawmaker, has raised the alarm over what he described as the “gradual erosion of institutional integrity” at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) under the leadership of its new Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba.

Philip Agbese, a member of the House of Representatives, voiced the concerns on Thursday, July 17, during a joint legislative retreat on the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act Amendment Bill 2025 held in Lagos.

Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadigbo federal constituency of Benue state and serves as deputy spokesperson of the House, said key provisions of the UBE Act were being violated, with unilateral decisions threatening transparency, accountability, and staff morale within the agency.

UBEC: Lawmakers briefed on alleged governance breaches

Garba, appointed by President Bola Tinubu in December 2024, has pledged to reduce Nigeria’s out-of-school population, estimated at 10.5 million. However, Agbese argued that her leadership style is jeopardising that mission.

The lawmaker alleged:

“We’re beginning to observe a creeping autocracy that has no place in a statutory agency like UBEC.

“UBEC is not a one-woman institution. Leadership demands respect for internal processes and statutory roles, not command-and-control tactics.”

He cited the implementation of a new organogram as a key concern, alleging it was introduced without the approval of UBEC’s Governing Board, as mandated under Section 6(h) of the UBE Act.

“This is not just about bureaucracy, it’s about legality,” Agbese said.

“That’s a breach. It must be suspended pending proper review by the National Assembly and the board.”

UBEC: Agbese condemns alleged deployment of external staff

The lawmaker also criticised the deployment of officers from other ministries and agencies into senior roles within UBEC, reportedly at the expense of qualified internal personnel.

“You can’t claim to be building capacity while destroying institutional memory,” Agbese said. “Sidelining experienced staff violates the spirit of Section 10(1) and (3) of the Act. It’s demoralising and destabilising.”

Agbese further alleged that the roles of UBEC’s two Deputy Executive Secretaries are being “deliberately undermined” in what he termed a “worrying power consolidation.”

“The Executive Secretary is said to be taking all decisions unilaterally. The DESs are barely consulted. Their statutory responsibilities under Section 5(2) and (3) have been reduced to ceremonial roles,” he said.

He warned that the centralisation of authority is slowing down operations, causing project delays and non-payment of contractors, including those involved in National Assembly-facilitated interventions.

“Routine approvals are stuck because nothing moves unless it comes from the Executive Secretary’s table,” he said. “Contractors are not being paid for projects completed as far back as February.”

UBEC: FG asked to intervene

Agbese urged the federal government to restore oversight mechanisms at the Commission and ensure respect for statutory structures.

“We are not opposed to reforms,” he said. “But no reform can succeed in an environment of opacity, sidelining, and institutional arrogance.”

He called for an immediate performance audit of UBEC’s leadership and practices, a freeze on external staff deployments, and a meeting of the Governing Board to review all structural changes implemented since Garba’s appointment.

House of Reps may summon UBEC boss - Agbese

The House Committee on Basic Education may summon Garba for a closed-door briefing, Agbese revealed.

“We will not allow any public institution to drift into impunity under our watch,” he said. “If the Executive Secretary has nothing to hide, then she should have no problem answering these questions.”

“We can’t afford a technocratic dictatorship under the guise of reform. Nigeria’s education system is too fragile for that,” he added.

Tinubu approves plan to disburse UBEC backlog funds to states

In another report, Tinubu allegedly recently approved a new plan by the Ministry of Education to release hundreds of billions of naira in unaccessed UBEC funds to state governments, breaking with years of federal inaction.

The initiative, led by education minister Tunji Alausa, aims to clear a five-year backlog of basic education matching grants dating back to 2020. The plan is part of a broader reform effort to revamp Nigeria’s basic education sector using data-driven strategies that detail how the funds could improve infrastructure, teacher training, and enrollment.

According to a senior presidency official, Alausa's plan "positively arm-twists" governors by providing tailored data showing how the funds can directly transform education in each state.

Source: Legit.ng