Accountant General moves to frustrate Tinubu’s appointment of successor

● Redeploys president’s appointee instead of allowing him to understudy her

The Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, is maintaining her oppositional stance against her successor, Shamselden Babatunde Ogunjimi, who was recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu to take over from her with immediate effect.

Recall that on December 10, 2024, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga announced the approval of the President for the appointment of Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as Acting Accountant-General.

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Onanuga statement said: “His (Ogunjimi) appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AG-F, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.”

But THE CONCLAVE reports that Madein has put a number of hurdles on the path of Mr Ogunjimi, making it look as if she has an irreconcilable difference with him, which is anchored on her determination to ensure he [Ogunjimi] appointment is not consummated.

Apart from refusing to come to terms with the presidential decision appointing Ogunjimi as Acting AG-F, preparatory to taking over from her, she has now gone ahead to make a succession process that should have been seamless almost becoming convoluted, tainted with malice.

A critical collaborative step of allowing Ogunjimi to understudy her, which is the conventional practice servicewide, had been weaponised.

THE CONCLAVE reports that Madein has redeployed his successor, Ogunjimi, instead of allowing him to understudy her.

Ogunjimi, who was moved with 20 others, has up to Christmas Eve to report in his new post even as Madein has resolved to remain in office till March 7, 2025 when she is due for retirement.

Reports said that in line with Civil Service rules, that she was expected to have proceeded on pre-retirement leave, but she had opted to be in office.

Opting to be in office should have been an opportunity to prepare the ground for smooth transition, but she is surprisingly resisting the appointment of Ogunjimi by President Tinubu by her conduct and actions.

In a December 18th, 2024 circular, which she personally signed, Madein said: “I hereby approve the posting of the following Directorate Level Treasury Officers with immediate effect towards enhancing effective service delivery.

“I want to further reiterate that all officers are to note that failure to comply with this posting instruction shall be treated in accordance with the provision of the Public Service Rules (PSR) 020602 (iv).

“Accordingly, affected officers are advised to submit assumption of duty certificates to the office of the undersigned on or before Tuesday, 24th December, 2024.”

In the circular, Ogunjimi was moved from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (Funds) to the Public Service Institute of Nigeria(PSIN) Accounts.

Some others redeployed were Abalaka James N (OAGF Funds); Dagin Seldam (OAGF STF); Ekwem Virginus E (OAGF IPPIS); Luka Joshua Kadmi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Accounts), etc

Media reports have claimed that Mrs. Madein and some top officials of the ministry frustrated Ogunjimi’s resumption until Thursday when his redeployment, along with other officers, was announced.

Meanwhile, in a bid to further dilate Ogunjimi’s resumption as acting AGF, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HoCSF) has reportedly endorsed Mrs. Madein to remain in office till her March 7 retirement date.

This was the plank she latched on to redeploy Ogunjimi.

The letter authorising Mrs. Madein’s continuation in office was issued by the HoCSF Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack and confirmed on Thursday in Abuja.

According to the spokesperson of the (OAGF), Mr. Bawa Mokwa, the letter reinstated Mrs. Madein to her role as AG-F and allowed her to oversee treasury operations until her retirement.

Mokwa said: “Embarking on terminal leave by retiring civil servants is optional; it’s in the civil service regulations.”

As it is, except there is a superseding presidential intervention, Madein will have her way, but in the long run, Ogunjimi will still step as AGF

THE CONCLAVE reports that Madein and the HoSF are just buying time and dilating the process with their civil service antics that would cone to an end on March 7, 2025.