*Inside Story Of Sordid Goings-on
By Felix Durumbah, Abuja
Despite the sudden demise this morning of Head of Service, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mrs. Grace Adayilo, whose position is ranked third in the FCTA hierarchy — behind only the FCT Minister and FCT Minister of State –, normal activities were seen going on at the Area 11, Garki, Abuja headquarters of the Administration today.
The development came as staff members, regular visitors and other persons familiar with goings-on in FCTA expressed fear of an alleged emerging diabolical syndrome in the Administration.
Mrs. Adayilo was sighted in a video obtained by People&Politics energetically dancing, singing and leading prayers during service in her church yesterday, Sunday, August 31.
People&Politics learned that her demise is not the first such strange occurrence in the Administration in recent time.
For instance, a director who heads a money-spinning agency located in Jahi, Abuja, was recently literally forced to flee into retirement following a suspected fetish attack that blinded one of his eyes and left a half of his face inexplicably darkened.
The normally robustly healthy, vibrant, slightly fair-complexioned director of South-South descent reportedly spent some time on a hospital bed,saved by God’s grace,mere days to his retirement date.
Sources close to him told People&Politics that some staff members in suspected alliance with unnamed outsiders who were scared by unconfirmed reports that the director was on the verge of securing a service extension, were fingered in the ordeal.
Many similarly believe that Mrs Adayilo’s death may have been caused by unidentified persons said to be unhappy with the one-year service extension recently granted her by the Presidency.
Sources told People&Politics that Adayilo was supposed to retire this year,on age grounds, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60.
But, it was gathered that a memo to the Presidency from the office of FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, seeking a one-year extension for her, was approved.
There are those who believe service extension for civil servants flagrantly violates the Public Service Regulations (PSR).
They point to PSR Rule 020810 which explicitly specifies the mandatory retirement age for civil servants as “60 years or 35 years of service, whichever comes first.”
They further posit that the PSR does not provide for any service extension.
A source in FCTA who did not want to be named as the cadre is not authorized to speak to the press, told People&Politics that,while the juju perspective may not be ruled out “given the present desperation among many Nigerians to make it in view of the unprecedented prevailing hardship in the land”, preliminary information received in the Adayilo demise showed signs of a cardiac issue.
A call placed to the Minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, as well as a Short Message Service (SMS) seeking his reaction, went unresponded to as of press time.
However, some staff members condemned the action of top guns in the Administration in not “at least showing some respect to the dead by letting offices close today at half day.”
A visit to the headquarters on Number 1 Kapital Road, showed employees and others busy at work, the usual beehive, with no visible sign signifying the death of such high-ranking official.
Mrs. Adayilo reportedly slumped in her residence early this morning and on being rushed to hospital, was pronounced dead by a doctor.
Adayilo, an indigene of FCT, was appointed the first female and native Head of Service last October.
She succeeded Mr Udo Atang, the pioneer Head of Service, who also was initially granted a six-month service extension.
Since the foundation of a governing body for FCT in 1976, the position had been non-existent until Wike created it, with President Bola Tinubu’s assent.
Section 299 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulates that FCT should be run as if it were a state. But, this was not fully complied with by previous administrations.
The unique status means the FCT is treated as a state for many purposes, with a different governance structure, as the President is its Governor but appoints a Minister to run the capital territory on his behalf.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mrs. Adayilo.
