What is it about Cross River in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration? In less than one year, the state has had three of its own in the top echelon of the Buhari’s administration fell ignobly on allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
From Walter Onnoghen to Okoi Obono-Obla and Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, the south-south state seems to be fast losing out in what keeps creating opportunities for other states to step in.
Just like Onnoghen, the clouds began to gather around Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, head of service of the federation, who is now on forced leave, when it was alleged that some huge sums of money was traced to her bank accounts. She tried all she could to wave aside the prancing and menacing flies around her. At a point, it was said that she, in anger, had tendered her resignation to the President. The next moment, she was reportedly singing that she had obtained the assurances of the President that her job was not in any threat and that she should return to her duty post.
Observers, who follow closely the workings of government, particularly in this dispensation, had predicted that it was just a matter of time. And it indeed happened! She has been shoved aside, and replaced by Folashade Yemi-Esan, in acting capacity.
But that’s not all. Oyo-Ita is being trailed by big flies that believe her body is tainted by certain substance that attract them. Would she wriggle herself out or get a soft landing?
The EFCC is said to be digging even deeper into Oyo-Ita’s successful career in the civil service. A graduate of accounting from the University of Lagos and a Masters degree holder in Public Administration from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Winifred has had an impressive work experience spanning more than 30 years, including being the first female indigenous managing director/CEO of Cross River Estates Limited, between 1993 and 1995.
She had subsequently transferred her service to the federal civil service where she was appointed to the rank of assistant director in 1997 and rose to the position of a director, finance and accounts in 2009 in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
She was appointed to the position of permanent secretary in 2013 and posted to the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs as the pioneer permanent secretary of the re-established ministry. She was thereafter redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in 2014.
Winifred shot into national limelight in October 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed her as the Head of Service of the federation in acting capacity, and subsequently confirmed in January 2016.
Sources say even before her elevation to the position of number one civil servant in Nigeria, the Buhari administration had dug into her past; setting the stage for what would befall her in the days ahead.
About a month ago, Oyo-Ita had checked into a hospital after being quizzed by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N3 billion contract scam said to have taken place before her appointment as Head of Service.
About N600 million was also reportedly traced to the account of one of her aides who, according to reports, could not explain the source of the money.
The EFCC was said to have placed a lid on the account and initiated the process of obtaining an interim forfeiture clause to seize the cash.
The embattled former HoS since the alleged fraud case became public knowledge had kept low profile. Some sections of the media had reported that Oyo-Ita tendered her resignation letter to President Buhari rather than waiting to be sacked but Buhari would not receive the letter.
Oyo-Ita was conspicuously missing during the retreat for ministers-designate on August 20, 2019. However, she was seen smiling and shaking hands during the inauguration of the new cabinet on August 21 at the State House.
Unconfirmed reports say Oyo-Ita had pleaded with Buhari to allow her retire from her successful career honourably, as some of the contracts under investigation predated her appointment as the Head of Service.
It was gathered that there was an initial plan to arraign her in court on August 19 but she was in the hospital for medical treatment.
The former Head of Service’s ordeal has also been linked in some quarters to her confrontation with the “almighty” Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Buhari, over the ignoble reinstatement of runaway pension funds ‘thief’, Adulrasheed Maina, who was sacked from service by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Recall that Oyo-Ita had a heated argument during a session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting November 1, 2017, over the reinstatement of Maina, accused of stealing billions of pension funds. Oyo-Ita had insisted that Maina was reinstated without her knowledge as Head of Service of the federation.
But the EFCC swiftly denied that its investigation of Winifred was influenced by Kyari.
“The commission wishes to state that there is no truth in the reports that the investigation of Oyo-Ita is influenced by Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and urges the public to disregard the reports as the handiwork of mischief makers”, the EFCC said through its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren.
“For the avoidance of doubt, investigation by the EFCC is evidence-based. Most often, they are triggered by petitions or intelligence.
“In the case of Oyo-Ita’s investigation, it was prompted by intelligence received by the EFCC. In the discharge of its mandate, the commission does not take instructions from extraneous bodies neither will it lend itself to be used to settle scores by anyone,” said the EFCC.
Although the full report of the EFCC’s investigation of Oyo-Ita hasn’t been made public, sources say that her prosecution is being considered.
It is believed in Presidency circles that the evidence against her is overwhelming and leaves the President Buhari with little option.
Oyo-Ita hails from Adiabo Okurikang in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River, same state with Walter Onnoghen, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), and Okoi Obono-Obla, former chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.
But what is it about this minority south-south state in the All Progressives Congress-led government and Buhari administration? This Canaan-City state has continued to lose its key and celebrated appointees in the Buhari-led administration.
It all started with Onnoghen, who was forced into inglorious retirement following the controversy that trailed his alleged failure to fully declare his assets upon his appointment as the CJN.
Then came Obono-Obla, accused of gaining admission to study law in the University of Jos with alleged forged secondary school certificate.
Obono-Obla was sacked by Buhari following series of alleged violations of procedure while in office, for which he was queried.
The former chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property also faces possible criminal prosecution on matters related to his alleged financial dealings said to have been uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
JOSHUA BASSEY
