General
CPPM Asks Buhari to Discipline HoS for Failure to Appoint Accountant General
By Adedapo Adesanya
A civil society organisation, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM), has knocked the Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs Folasade Esan, for allegedly undermining a presidential directive to commence the process of appointing a substantive Accountant General of the Federation.
The group, in a statement made available to Business Post on Sunday, described the move as “irresponsible, provocative, reckless, condemnable, unacceptable and a threat to national security.”
The statement signed by Mr Nelson Ekujumi, its Executive Chairman, said, “We are aware that sequel to the presidential directive with regards to the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation, following the indefinite suspension of the former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, for fraud of which he is in court to answer charges as preferred by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the HoS in a memo dated June 21, 2022, announced the commencement of the process for the appointment of a substantive AGF.”
The organisation acknowledged that applications were called for from qualified accountants from the mainstream civil service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation with set criteria for eligibility and subject to security checks but “surprisingly, before the conclusion of the process in line with presidential directive and the HoS memo, Mrs Folasade Esan stalled the process for reasons which amounts to a violation of her oath of office and an affront to constituted authority.”
“Shockingly, with a motive, which has an interest far and above national interest written all over it, the HoS in a memo to the President dated October 13, 2022, while acknowledging Mr President’s directive conveyed via the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation letter dated June 16, 2022, stated that…
“At the close of submission of applications and security clearance by appropriate agencies, a very negligible number of directors met the criteria. The number will not provide a large pool to engender a competitive process at the end of which a substantive Accountant General of the Federation could be appointed”. She then went ahead to propose to Mr President the extension of the process to the first quarter of 2023 just to satisfy her personal interest and motive.
“This position of the Head of Service of the Federation is rather strange, a perversion of civil service rules and an affront to the authority of Mr President by trying to be clever-by-half. We want ask that under what provisions of the civil service rules did Mrs Folasade Esan derive the powers to single-handedly determine the number of applicants who have met set criteria and security clearance for appointment as negligible? Also, we need to ask that what number of applicants can be described as negligible according to the civil service rules of Mrs Folasade Esan?” it quipped.
The civil society organisation went further to describe the action of Mrs Esan as a contravention of the oath of her office, which amounts to an abuse of official position and public trust for personal gain far and above national interest and security, which is irresponsible and condemnable.
“Thus, we at CPPM wish to draw the attention of Mr President, who is a strong advocate for due process and the rule of law, to the actions of Mrs Folasade in trying to pervert civil service rules and undermine constituted authority and national security,” it continued.
CPPM then demanded the immediate presidential rejection of Mrs Esan’s request for “abortion of the process for the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation and extension to allow for her personal interest over national interest.”
It also called for disciplinary proceedings against her for the perversion of civil service rules, abuse of public trust, and an affront to a constituted authority which is unacceptable and condemnable.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Police Command is investigating the delivery of a parcel containing live ammunition delivered to the managing director of First Bank Nigeria, Mr Oluwasegun Alebiosu.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State command, Mr Tijani Fatai, confirmed the incident on Tuesday during a press briefing at the command headquarters.
He said Mr Alebiosu reported the case on May 7, noting that two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were sent to him through a parcel.
“The managing director reported the matter to the police after a package containing two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition was delivered on his behalf by his security guard at his residence. The case is still under investigation, and we are treating it with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
According to him, the parcel was first received by the bank chief’s security guard, who then handed it over to him.
The police commissioner said that operatives have launched an investigation, including forensic analysis and intelligence work, to identify the perpetrators and the circumstances of the incident.
He added that no suspect linked to the crime has been brought into custody.
“Presently, no suspect is in custody. Even though the MD has mentioned some people whom he suspected of being the brains behind it, that is his suspicion, anyway. We are still working on it,” he said.
Mr Fatai noted that detectives are reviewing information provided by the complainant, including details of individuals who may have relevant knowledge of the incident.
He assured the public that the command would keep them informed as the investigations go on, adding that the public should allow the police to carry out their duties.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has approved the declaration of a 16-hour curfew in 10 local government areas of the state, as part of measures targeted at tackling insecurity.
According to a memo issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Musibau Babatunde, the curfew takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The movement restriction, between 4 pm and 8 am, lasts for 48 hours in the first instance and affects local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park.
The affected local councils are Oriire local government (Headquarters: Ikoyi-Ile), Orelope (Headquarters: Igboho), Irepo (Headquarters: Kisi), Saki West (Headquarters: Saki), Saki East (Hq Ago-Amodu), Atisbo (Headquarters: Tede / Ago-Are), Itesiwaju (Headquarters: Otu), Iseyin (Headquarters: Iseyin), Olorunsogo (Headquarters: Igbeti), and Atiba (Headquarters: Offa-Meta, Oyo).
The development followed a series of protests that rocked the state over the abduction of children and teachers in the Orire Local Government Area in May.
The National Coordinator of the movement, Mr Juwon Sanyaolu, who spoke during the latest protest held on Monday, said the demonstration was part of ongoing efforts by the group to push for the freedom of the victims.
According to him, the protest “is a continuation of actions the organisation has embarked upon since the abduction of children and teachers” in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State in May.”
“We will continue to protest for the release of all abducted victims until they are free. We believe that government officials are in the comfort of their rooms and offices while innocent 46 students and their teachers are languishing in the kidnappers’ den.
“We are demanding freedom for all captives in the North, South, West, and East of Nigeria,” Mr Sanyaolu said.
He also criticised political leaders for focusing on preparations for the 2027 elections while insecurity continues to threaten the lives of Nigerians.
“We will not be sitting until 2027. By that time, we won’t even know how many will be alive.
“So that is why we are at the heart of Ibadan in Oyo State, where the abduction took place. The state and federal governments must act, or they will continue to witness mass action,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Department of State Services (DSS) has closed its case against former Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling further witnesses in the matter, prompting the formal closure of the DSS case.
Following the development, defence counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro, told the court that the defence intends to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient evidence against the former governor.
The defence subsequently sought two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution requested two weeks to respond.
The defence also applied for a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, describing them as stringent and difficult to meet.
They argued that the bail terms were too stringent, particularly the requirements for level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna state traditional council.
However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that qualified public officers who meet the conditions exist and urging the court to refuse the application.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the request to vary the bail conditions, ruling that there are civil servants who own properties at the said location.
The court, however, adjourned to September 22 for the filing of the no-case submission and continuation of the trial.
In February, the federal government filed a three-count charge against the former governor of Kaduna State over an alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu.
In a television interview, he confessed that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mr Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.
However, the FG, through the secret police, filed charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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