Veteran journalist and political analyst, Reuben Abati, has called on the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Ester Walson-Jack to resign or temporarily step aside following the ongoing probe by the Presidential Fiscal and Integrity Performance Committee (PFIPC).
Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ on Thursday, Abati argued that relinquishing the office while investigations continue would help preserve the integrity of the public service and reinforce public confidence in the accountability process.
He maintained that public officials facing serious investigations should avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the institutions they lead, stressing that stepping aside does not amount to an admission of guilt.
According to Abati, allowing the investigative process to run its course without the influence of office would demonstrate a commitment to transparency, accountability and due process.
Abati said, “The question of self-indictment and her admission of guilt and lack of diligence should be properly looked into because in other countries of the world, this admission will have been followed with a letter of resignation.
“This is because what the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has just done is to say that her department has failed the country in the discharge of the professional responsibility of that office.
“They gave the self-acclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, Adeyemi Adeniyi, staff without even establishing the authenticity of the Establishment Act, making him the Director General of that ghost agency.
“The question to ask is: How many other agencies of government, whether presidential or statutory, have been created and have been given staff, given offices, put in the budget on the value and strength of fake documents?
“So the investigation should be how far deeper has this gone? Because it’s an embarrassment to the Nigerian government. It’s a ridicule very clearly of how the Nigerian government is run. So resignation will be a personal responsibility of Mrs Wilson Jack.”
He urged the authorities to ensure that the investigation is conducted fairly, professionally and without political interference, insisting that its outcome should be guided strictly by the evidence.
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