By Citizenship Daily
Coming on the heels of a purported advice, ostensibly from the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have put on hold the appointment of the new Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Shelmsudeen Babatunde Ogunjimi following concerns.
Feelers were rife that the Head of the Civil Service might have perceived that the appointment of a new AGF is feasible, only at the end of the terminal leave of the substantive AGF, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.
According to that viewpoint, it was deemed erroneous to have a substantive AGF and an acting AGF at the same time, especially when the terminal leave of the former was yet to come to an end.
In the midst of the twist in respect of the appointment of a new AGF without her input, Madein had insisted on completing her mandatory retirement procedures before calling it quits.
Meanwhile, palpable tension is brewing in the civil service following fears that the Head of the Civil Service might have inadvertently ‘misinformed’ the President on the relevant Federal Government Public Service Rules relating to retirement procedure.
Of specific reference is said to be the application of Section 120243 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was said to have “wrongly” advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against appointing a new AGF until March 7th 2025, when the tenure of Madein will be due to expire.
It also emerged, however, that President Tinubu was “perfectly in order in making the popular appointment.”
According to this angle, the same section of the public service rule was adopted by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi to leave the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
On the strength of Section 120243 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules, Madein ought to have disengaged from December 7th, 2024.
It says: “Officers are required to give three months’ notice to retire from Service before the effective date of retirement.
“At the commencement of three months, Officers should proceed immediately to the mandatory one-month pre-retirement workshop/seminar.
“For the remaining two months, retiring Officers are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight so as to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits.”
A source in the civil service said: “We learnt the President stayed action on Ogunjinmi’s appointment because of an advisory from the Head of the Civil Service. It is not mandatory for the outgoing AGF to be in office for the next three months.
“A civil servant going on retirement has skeletal engagement to do in office after 35 years. Actually, he or she should be preoccupied with the transition to a new occupant of the office.
“The President must end this sit-tight syndrome in public service. What we now experience is for workers not to go on pre-retirement leave. They work till the last day.
“This is exactly what is happening in this case of the new AGF, whose appointment did not have the endorsement of either the Head of the Civil Service or the outgoing AGF.
“There is a plot to reverse the appointment of Ogunjimi by turning the Public Service Rules upside down.
“I think some forces were not happy with the President’s choice of Ogunjimi and they want to use civil service rules to scuttle it. They already knew the President is a due process man.
“Barrister Danladi Kifasi was Head of Service under Buhari, he gave three months’ notice and retired. There is a need for consistency and time to eschew nepotism.”
A retired Permanent Secretary, who spoke in confidence, said: “This is an attempt to overrule the President by the Head of the Civil Service. This is abnormal.
“Was the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) not removed despite the fact he has up till August 2025 to complete his second term in office?
“No one can choose a team the President should work with for him.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 10th appointed Ogunjimi as the Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Mr. Bayo Onanuga said “his appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AGF, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.”
Onanuga said “in announcing Madein’s successor, President Tinubu ensures a seamless transition in the administration of Nigeria’s treasury and consolidates the implementation of the present administration’s treasury policy reforms.
“As a career civil servant and the most senior director in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Ogunjimi brings over 30 years of extensive experience in financial management across the public and private sectors.
“He has held significant positions, including Director of Funds at the OAGF and Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
A chartered accountant, certified fraud examiner, chartered stockbroker, and chartered security and investment specialist, Mr Ogunjimi’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Accountancy and a Master’s in Finance and Accounting.
In a remark on the appointment, President Tinubu expressed his confidence in Mr. Ogunjimi, saying, “The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is pivotal to our nation’s treasury management operations. Mr Ogunjimi’s wealth of experience and notable competence will ensure the continued effectiveness of this vital institution as we advance our economic reform agenda.”
Efforts to reach Head of the Civil Service for comment were unfruitful, as close inside sources were inaccessible.
