HEAD OF SERVICE… Aduda, Adebiyi In Final Race To Replace Yemi-Esan

The permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, and his State House counterpart, Olusesan Adebiyi, are awaiting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nod to appoint either of them as the successor to the Head of the Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, who is due to retire next month.

An investigation by LEADERSHIP revealed that Aduda and Adebiyi are among 10 permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service who are jostling to succeed Yemi-Esan who is due for retirement on August 13 when she will clock the retirement age of 60. She was born on August 13, 1964.

The panel established by the Presidency to screen those who indicated interest in the top civil service job have reportedly reduced the number of applicants from 10 to 2.

Eight permanent secretaries were dropped because they failed to meet the standards for the appointment of a new boss for the nation’s apex civil service.

LEADERSHIP learnt that Yemi-Esan’s choice as her successor was among those who failed to scale the hurdle.

Reliable sources in the Presidency told LEADERSHIP on Sunday that Aduda and Adebiyi were recommended to Tinubu for consideration and the subsequent appointment of one of them to fill the vacuum created by Yemi-Esan’s anticipated exit.

A presidency source told LEADERSHIP on Sunday that President Tinubu is expected to make his decision on the matter public soon.

“With the recommendation of Aduda and Adebiyi, Mr President is left to exercise the prerogative to pick one of them as the new HoSCF. It’s the decision for Mr President to take. He can even look beyond them, but the panel has done its work and made appropriate recommendations that align with its findings,” the source said.

Yemi-Esan has less than one month to remain in office.

Aduda is the most senior, but the youngest permanent secretary in the federal civil service. He was born on October 25, 1971.

Prior to his present position as permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aduda served in the same capacity in the ministries of foreign affairs, youth and sports development, petroleum resources, and political and economic affairs in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Aduda, who was engaged in the federal civil service in 1999, is currently the governor of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Nigeria

He hails from the Federal Capital Territory in the North Central geopolitical zone of the country.

His rival, Adebiyi, was the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health before his current tenure in the State House.

He was redeployed to the State House on the orders of President Tinubu in August 2023.

Though born in Kabba, Kogi State, on January 8 1968, Adebiyi hails from Ekiti State.

A source told this newspaper that Aduda and Adebiyi are leaving no stone unturned to clinch the most influential position in the civil service and that their ambition has polarised top aides of President Tinubu.

“Consequently, Aduda and Adebiyi have embarked on intensive lobby to seek the nod of Mr President. They are mobilising contacts from within and outside the country to convince and prevail on Mr President.

“Even the close aides of Mr. President are not exempted. They are rooting for either of the two and mounting pressures to secure the blessing of the big man (President Tinubu) to pick their choice. This has caused disaffection and squabbles among some key big boys close to Oga,” the source, who pleaded that his name be not mentioned in print, added.

Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale rebuffed all efforts to get his reaction to the report. He ignored calls and text messages to his phone to get his reaction to the report.

Tinubu rejects Yemi-Esan request for tenure extension

Reliable sources in the Presidency also hinted LEADERSHIP that President Tinubu rejected Yemi-Esan’s request for tenure extension.

It was learnt that it was in the aftermath of Tinubu’s snub that Yemi-Esan decided to back one permanent secretary to succeed her, a move Tinubu also resisted.