WAEC Staff Samson Oriowo Appeals Dismissal, Denies Corruption and Extortion Allegations

WAEC staff member Samson Oriowo has appealed his dismissal, denying corruption, extortion, dishonesty and fraudulent practices linked to supervisor recruitment in Benin Zone.

Oriowo, who has served the Council for more than 34 years, made the appeal in a letter dated August 11, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the Nigeria Administrative and Finance Committee (A&F) of WAEC and routed through the Head of the National Office and the Deputy Director, Human Resources Management and Development (HRMD).

He said his dismissal followed a decision reached at the 242nd meeting of the Nigeria Administrative and Finance Committee held in Abuja on July 29 and 30, 2026, where the case concerning alleged corrupt practices in the recruitment of supervisors in the Benin Zone was considered.

According to Oriowo, the committee found him culpable of “unscrupulous acts and extortion, dishonesty and engaging in fraudulent practices” as well as involvement in activities allegedly conflicting with the interests of the Council.

However, he vehemently rejected the allegations, insisting that he had neither breached WAEC’s conditions of service nor engaged in any corrupt practice throughout his more than three decades of service.

“I must state clearly and unequivocally that I am not in any way guilty or culpable of any of the offences levelled against me,” he said, adding that he had carried out his responsibilities with “integrity, fairness and transparency” throughout his career.

Oriowo described the petition against him as false, malicious and unfounded, alleging that those behind it were motivated by personal animosity.

He said he had never received financial, material or other inducements connected with the recruitment of supervisors or any other official assignment during his years with the Council.

“I have never received financial, material or any kind of inducement or bribe pertaining to recruitment exercise or any other exercise in my years of service,” he stated.

He challenged anyone with evidence of financial inducement against him to produce it, saying he was prepared to make his statement of account available for scrutiny to establish his innocence.

Beyond denying the allegations, Oriowo alleged that some individuals had previously threatened to use the recruitment process to force him out of WAEC if he refused to act according to their wishes.

He claimed that the individuals attempted to coerce, induce, intimidate and harass him into allocating them slots for supervisory positions, allegedly threatening him with dismissal and the loss of his gratuity and other retirement benefits.