A series of manoeuvres by the outgoing Government of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has many Public Servants concerned.
The Government made a flurry of appointments, and inaugurated a number of fresh projects, which many found curious for an administration in its last hours in office.
The posting of some key Permanent Secretaries, including one in Mr Buhari’s own office, is causing some anxiety within the rank and file of Public Servants in Abuja, especially as there had been no notice of them in the usual circulars.
At the top of the list is the rumoured posting of State House Permanent Secretary, Tijani Idris Umar (pictured), largely seen as one of the few technocrats with institutional memory of how the State House functions.
Retired and serving bureaucrats say Mr Umar’s posting at this time could deny incoming President, Bola Tinubu the opportunity of credible guidance by one of the brightest Public Servants still around.
Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan played down the issue, saying the redeployment of Permanent Secretaries was “routine”.
“The exercise is a pure administrative process, and the people involved have been given official letters,” Dr Yemi-Esan said.
Asked to comment specifically on Mr Umar’s alleged redeployment, Dr Yemi-Esan said she was unaware of any redeployment affecting him.
“As far as I am concerned, the Permanent Secretary of the State House is not involved in the posting at all,” she said.
“I don’t know where that information is coming from, but I did not sign any letter to the Permanent Secretary of the State House for redeployment.”
Another recent move that caused disquiet in the system is the redeployment of 351 Directors and other top Government officials in the last hours before Mr Buhari’s exit.
Abuja, 28 May 2023
