Tenure extension: Reps indict Buhari, Oyo-Ita

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education on Thursday indicted President Muhammadu Buhari and the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, over the tenure extension granted to retired Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara.

House Committee members in announcing their resolution on the controversial extension granted the embattled permanent secretary, declared that President Buhari lacks the powers under Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution and other extant laws to extend the tenure of a permanent secretary whose tenure has expired by efluxion of time or age.

Our correspondent recalls that Dr. Shu’ara’s tenure was initially elongated by one year in 2016 after she attained the mandatory 35 years in service or the attainment of 60 years before she was further granted another extension in 2017 by the Presidency.

Chairman of the House committee, Rep. Zakari Mohammed, who announced the committee’s resolution after a closed door meeting that lasted for two hours, did not hide the angst of lawmakers when reeling out the recommendations after patiently listening to the weak defence of Mrs. Oyo-Ita.

The committee averred that Buhari has no power under Section 171 (2)(c) of the constitution or any other existing law to extend or elongate the tenure of permanent secretary whose tenure has expired by efluxion of time or age whichever comes first.

It directed the head of service of the federation to invoke the relevant rules to recover all emoluments paid to Dr. Shu’ara for the period of the extension from 2016 till date, while advising that the Federal Government should ensure that civil service rules and procedures are strictly adhered to.

Similarly, the committee ordered the retired permanent secretary to vacate office as her retirement date remains February 2016.

Furthermore, the committee directed the head of service of the federation to ensure compliance to its resolutions and report back to the House in four weeks.

But before reading out the committee’s recommendations, the head of service was given the opportunity to defend herself.

In her defence, the head of service read out her letter to the committee entitled: ‘Re: Request for Documents”, asserting that “I did not write any letter dated 17th March, 2016 with Ref. N0.HCSF/1013/1 on the tenure of Dr. (Mrs.) Jamila Shu’ara as Permanent Secretary, rather the last letter I wrote on this matter was to the Chief of Staff to the President.

“I’ve sought Mr. President’s permission to release a copy to the Honourable Committee and I’m waiting for His Excellency’s Response.

“On the extant laws and rules guiding appointment, extension or replacement. Section 171(2) (d) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended) vests the president with power to appoint and remove
federal Permanent Secretaries and by virtue of Section 11(1)(a)(c) (I) of the Interpretation Act Cap. 123 Laws of the Federation, 2004, whoever has the power to appoint can reappoint or reinstate.”

She added that “it’s instructive to note that, personal files of all civil servants employed into the federal civil service are with the Federal Civil Service Commission.

I’ve requested for her personal file.”