Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Head of Service of the Federation has confirmed that she submitted her letter to proceed on retirement to President Muhammadu Buhari.
A close source who has her permission to speak on the matter but pleaded for anonymity said the letter was submitted on Saturday after she met with the President, on his return from Daura, Katsina State where he spent the Sallah celebrations.
The embattled Oyo-Ita, was invited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer to allegations bothering on contract scam to the tune of N3 billion and duty tour allowance falsification and fraud case.
She is under pressure by family members to resign.
The source said the letter of retirement was submitted as requested by her family members and close associates. Oyo-Ita has maintained that she has no N3 billion in her account.
She has also insisted that she does not have an aide with M600 million in his account, that the only thing she knows about the N600 million in question is that is meant for Death Benefits of deceased staff meant for designated account.
But the Presidency on Monday said it was not in possession of any letter by the embattled Head of the Civil Service of the Federation indicating interest to go on retirement. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a text message sent to our correspondent in response to earlier reports that Oyo-Ita had formally informed President Muhammadu Buhari of her desire to proceed on retirement.
President Buhari on October 21, 2015, announced the appointment of Oyo-Ita as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
She was appointed to the position of Federal Permanent Secretary on March 16, 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 redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April, 2014. She was appointed as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in acting capacity in October 2015 and confirmed in January 2016 by President Buhari.
Oyo-Ita is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).She was born in April 1964.
