The federal government through the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation has asked Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, who was earlier directed to proceed on retirement to continue as the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) till March 2025.
Confirming the development to our reporter via telephone, Director Press at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Bawa Mokwa said the AGF is in receipt of a letter from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation asking Madein to continue 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.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 10th 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 about succession started at the Office of the Account General of the Federation with the announcement of Mr Ogunjimi as acting Accountant general by President Tinubu barely a week ago.
Nigerian politician and Activist, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed raised allegations that Ogunjimi was not even the most qualified director in line to take over as the 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.”
