The Federal Civil Service is experiencing a new wave of stress after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have decided to postpone the appointment of Mr. Shelmsudeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, the Federation’s new Acting Accountant-General, based on the advise of the Head of Civil Service.
According to well-placed sources, the Head of the Civil Service believed that the appointment could only be made when the substantive AGF, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, had finished her terminal leave.
Additionally, she allegedly stated that having an acting AGF and a substantive AGF while the former had not yet finished the retirement process was incorrect.
It had learned that Madein had insisted on finishing her required retirement formalities prior to resigning, after being taken by surprise when a new AGF was appointed without consulting her.
Is LS Tinubu, the national growth leader, being duped into reversing his appointment?
Due to the discovery that the Head of the Civil Service reportedly “misled” the President on Federal Government Public Service Rules about retirement procedure, there is already tension in the civil service, which has led to some high-level rumblings.
The implementation of Section 120243 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules was the point of disagreement.
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 expires.
However, it turned out that President Tinubu made the popular appointment “perfectly in order.”
It was also discovered that Mr. Danladi Kifasi, the previous head of the Federation’s civil service, had chosen to quit the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari by adopting the same branch of the public service.
The Federal Government Public Service Rules’ Section 120243 states that Madein should have resigned on December 7, 2024.
It states: “Officers must give three months’ notice before the retirement date in order to leave the service.
“Officers should start the required one-month pre-retirement workshop/seminar as soon as the three-month period begins.”Retiring officers are urged to take the required steps to correct their records during the final two months in order to expedite the processing of their retirement benefits.
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Does Tinubu continue to act on AGF?
“We learned that the President stayed action on Ogunjinmi’s appointment because of an advisory from the Head of the Civil Service,” stated a civil service expert. The departing AGF is not required to remain in office for the following three months.
After 35 years in office, a civil servant who is retiring has minimal duties to perform. Actually, he or she ought to be busy getting the workplace ready for a new occupant.
“The president needs to put a stop to the sit-tight mentality that permeates public service. We currently see employees not taking pre-retirement leave. They put in a full day of work.
This is precisely what is taking place with the new AGF, whose appointment was not approved by the previous AGF or the Head of the Civil Service.
The story becomes more complex.
There is a scheme to overturn the Public Service Rules in order to undo Ogunjimi’s appointment.
“I believe that some elements wanted to utilize civil service norms to thwart the President’s appointment of Ogunjimi because they were unhappy with it. They were already aware of the President’s commitment to due process.
Under Buhari, Barrister Danladi Kifasi served as Head of Service before retiring after giving three months’ notice. Avoiding nepotism requires patience and consistency.
In a confidential statement, a retired Permanent Secretary added: “This is an attempt to overturn the President. This is not typical.
Even though he has until August 2025 to finish his second term in office, was the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) not dismissed?
“No one has the authority to select the team that the President should collaborate with.”
How the announcement of Ogunjimi’s appointment was made
Ogunjimi was named Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 10.
“His appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AGF, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein,” according to a statement released by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy).
According to Onanuga, “President Tinubu consolidates the implementation of the current administration’s treasury policy reforms and ensures a smooth transition in the administration of Nigeria’s treasury by appointing Madein’s successor.”
Mr. Ogunjimi is the most senior director of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and a career civil servant with more than 30 years of vast expertise in both public and private financial management.
“He has held important positions, such as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director of Funds at the OAGF.”
Mr. Ogunjimi holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Accountancy and a Master’s in Finance and Accounting. He is also a qualified fraud examiner, chartered stockbroker, chartered accountant, and chartered security and investment specialist.
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“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is pivotal to our nation’s treasury management operations,” President Tinubu said in a statement regarding the appointment, expressing his trust in Mr. Ogunjimi. As we move forward with our economic reform agenda, Mr. Ogunjimi’s extensive expertise and exceptional competence will guarantee this crucial institution’s sustained efficacy.
