The Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West has accused the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) of deliberate destruction of the Civil Service in the South-West States, saying; “the way and manner appointments are being made into the service is dangerous for the maintenance of the culture of seniority and professionalism in the service.”
The party said laid down public service rules were being jettisoned with junior officers being promoted above their seniors, non-career civil servants being appointed Permanent Secretary and Directors General and attempt being made to appoint a serving judge in Lagos State as Chief Judge of another State.
According to a statement issued today by the PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade, the party faulted Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State for appointing a civil servant who has 38 doctors as seniors and had only spent 16 years as Permanent Secretary, saying; “If these governors are not cautioned, we will soon get to a level where Clerical Officer will be appointed as Permanent Secretary and someone just appointed as judge appointed as Chief Judge.”
“They started in Lagos State by appointing non-career civil servants like Mr. Segun Ayobolu, Senator Gbenga Ashafa and Muri Okunola as Permanent Secretaries and Directors General.
“Now they have imported their disregard for Public Service rules to others States.
“In Ekiti State for instance, Fayemi appointing his cousin, Mr Lekan Owolabi, a Local Government Treasurer as the State Accountant General, he appointed Mr. Dayo Apata, a Federal Civil Servant, who is also his cousin as Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General and a few days ago, he capped it up by appointing someone who has 38 Doctors as her seniors as Permanent Secretary.
“In Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has tried albeit unsuccessfully to install Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, a judge who is number 12 in Lagos State as the Chief Judge of the State.
“They are also sacking public servants because they were appointed or promoted by past governments pretending not to know that governance is a continuum.
“In Ekiti State, over 20 permanent Secretaries have been sacked while 23 were forced to resign in Ogun State.
“Apart from Permanent Secretaries, Accountant General, Auditor General, Local Government Directors of Administration and Treasurers were also sacked in Ekiti State.
“Junior staff are also not being spared by the ACN vindictive governors as over 7,000 have been sacked in Ekiti, over 3,000 sacked in Oyo and 2,500 sacked in Ogun.
“All these are actions capable of destroying the Public Service and we urge the ACN governors to put a stop to them before they destroy governance in the South-West States,” Babade said.