The federal government, through the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, has instructed Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, who was previously directed to retire, to continue serving as the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) until March 2025.
Mr. Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, confirmed to Daily Trust that the AGF had received a letter from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation requesting that Madein remain in her position as AGF.
Asked on the fate of Mr Shelmsudeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, who was appointed as acting Accountant General, the Director press stated that the letter “Did not say anything about his appointment.”
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On December 10th, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Ogunjimi as the Acting Accountant General of the Federation.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga said: “His (Ogunjimi) appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AG-F, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.”
The confusion surrounding the succession began at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation when President Tinubu announced Mr. Ogunjimi as the acting Accountant General just over a week ago.
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Nigerian politician and activist, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed, alleged that Ogunjimi was not the most qualified director in line to assume the role of Accountant General of the Federation.
She said: “In what has remained very curious, the Presidency in collaboration with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, illegally appointed Ogunjimi Shamulsedeen, a Director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Acting Accountant General, after forcing Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to go on retirement and bypassing two Northerners who were by law next in line to take over in acting capacity if the AGF is not available.
“A circular dated 3 September, 2024, had posted Shamuseldeen, a director in the OAGF, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No circular had reposted him back to the OAGF and he is not the most senior to take over in the event the AGF is retiring or leaving. Danladi Comfort Zakowi, who is the current Director of Finance or Luka Joshua, Director of CAD Department, would have taken over in Acting Capacity. This didn’t happen.
“Another curious twist is that while Mrs Madein is only due to proceed on retirement leave in March 2025, Shamulsedeen has already resumed and has been using policemen to prevent Mrs. Madein from entering the office, confirming insinuation that someone in the Presidency is pushing Shamulsedeen to take over the OAGF.”
In response to the allegation, Mokwa told Daily Trust that the debate surrounding the appointment was unnecessary, as any of the directors were qualified for the executive positions. He emphasized that it is within the President’s discretion to make the decision and select whoever he prefers.
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