Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said past People’s Democratic Party administrations abused the federal civil service and undermined service delivery to the people.

He said this at the swearing in of eight permanent secretaries from eight states where vacancies existed.

He emphasised that, past administrations “abused, undermined and destroyed the systems of checks and balances within the civil service that were meant to protect and preserve the interest of our citizens.”

The president added that it was this systemic abuse of power that “significantly enriched a few privileged individuals while, at the same time, making majority of our fellow citizens poorer and underserved.

“As a result, many Nigerians lost confidence in Government and its ability to deliver the required guidance and service to our people.”

He reiterated that his administration has, since he came into office  in May 2015, delivered on its three cardinal programmes promised Nigerians namely: security, inclusive and diversified economic development and war against corruption and abuse of power.

This is the second FEC meeting he presided over this year.

They took their oath of office in two batches.

The new permanent secretaries are: Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan (Osun State), Dr. Mohammed Dikwa (Borno), Dr. Ajani Magdalene N. Olor (Delta) and Festus Yusuf Narai Daudu (Nasarawa). Others are: Mbaeri Maurice Nnamdi (Imo), Dr. Bakari Wadinga (Adamawa), Babatunde Lawal (Lagos), and Umakhihe Ernest Afolabi (Edo).