By Gideon Njoku
Was Winifred Oyo-Ita, sacked as the Head of Service by President Muhammadu Buhari? Or did the President, finally, approve of the voluntary retirement she had asked for immediately after her encounter with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC?
There seems to be a confusion as to what what really happened.
A release on Wednesday by Willy Bassey, Director, Information, office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, said:
“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan as the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation with immediate effect.
“Dr. Mrs Femi-Esan, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, takes over from Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita who has been directed to proceed on indefinite leave to allow conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission”
In the same release, Mr President, also, approved the extension, by one year, the tenure of seven Permanent Secretaries, for the stabilization of the Civil Service, given that he established new Ministeries. He, also, directed the office of the HoS to; immediately, start the process for the appointment of new Permanent Secretaries to fill the vaccancies which will be created by the retiring ones.
But sources within the government have faulted the impression that Oyo-Ita was sacked by the President. They insist the President, kindly, approved the letter she had put in for voluntary retirement from the Service after her arrest, and interrogation by the EFFC during the last Sallah holidays.
The former HoS had been invited by the Commission on her arrival to Abuja from Lagos where she had gone for the funeral service of Mrs Ani, wife of a former Minister for Finance.
She was detained for a couple of days, and interrogated over allegations of fraud, money laundering and official misconduct – one of them concerning an insurance scheme for civil servants. The sum of N6000million was, also, found in the bank account of a subordinate of hers. The EFCC said it stumbled on her issues while investigating a former Minister for Special Duties under whom She served as Permanent Secretary.
She was granted administrative bail.
Shaken, after the interrogation, she fell ill, and was hospitalized. On discharge from the hospital, and after an audience with the President, she, allegedly, put in her letter of voluntary retirement.
One of the sources told this magazine that: “Mrs Oyo-Ita never withdrew her earlier request for retirement. She has been too shaken by the Sallah weekend experience to want to continue. She is a widow, and has not been that shaken since after her husband’s passing.”
Another reliable source disclosed that: “She stood by her request and secured the President’s approval for voluntary retirement.
“She started her terminal leave earlier this week. Why mention the EFCC investigation in a memo announcing developments in the Federal Civil Service. It is deliberate to rubbish her.
The EFCC must have finished its investigation by now. Otherwise, the Commission should be left alone to conclude and not drag it into her voluntary early retirement which has been accepted and granted,” our source maintained.
Mrs Yemi-Esan, a thorough bred civil servant is not the most senior Permanent Secretary. And, is billed to retire early next year. Meaning that her tenure might be short-lived, unless otherwise decided by Mr President.
Sources insist she recently had an issue and was, deliberately, put “under the canopy” of the just retired HoS, until it was convenient to post her to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources from where she was promoted to lead the Civil Service.
Unconfirmed sources say she was, allegedly, one of the four Permanent Secretaries considered not to have had a smooth relationship with Mrs Oyo-Ita.
Many women who spoke to this magazine, even though upset over Oyo-Ita’s sudden retirement, are consoled that she was replaced by another woman, thanks to President Buhari’s gender sensitivity. They prayed for a smooth tenure for Yemi-Esan, and a stress-free retirement for Oyo-Ita.
