From retirement to SSA: Wike taps retiring procurement director, Musa Idris as Senior Special Assistant

By Stanley Onyekwere

​In a swift transition from public service to political leadership, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has appointed Alhaji Onsachi Musa Idris as his Senior Special Assistant on Procurement.

​The appointment was announced Friday, is with immediate effect—the very same day Idris officially retired from the FCT civil service.

​The move highlights a strategic effort by the Minister to retain veteran expertise within the FCT Administration. Idris, who served as the Director of Procurement for the FCTA since July 2021, concluded his storied civil service career today, only to be immediately tapped for this senior advisory role.

​In a statement released by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Idris was lauded as a “seasoned public servant.”

​Idris’s career spans over three decades of navigating the complexities of administration, finance, and public sector management.

His rise through the ranks of the FCTA includes several pivotal milestones: appointed as Director of Common Services (Procurement) on August 2019,​ got redeployed as the Director of the Department of Procurement on July 2021, and retired from active civil service and appointed SSA to the Minister on April 24, 2026.

​According to the statement, throughout his tenure, Idris was credited with playing a critical role in overseeing procurement processes and ensuring strict compliance with regulatory standards, which significantly bolstered institutional efficiency and service delivery within the capital.
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​By appointing Idris as Senior Special Assistant, Wike appears to be prioritizing continuity in the FCT’s infrastructural and administrative drive.

With Idris’s deep institutional knowledge of the procurement landscape, the administration is well-positioned to maintain the momentum of its ongoing projects.