Nigeria Civil Society Desk has kicked against the untimely retirement of the Ondo State Head of Civil Service, Kayode Ogundele, by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ogundele was replaced with Bayo Philip as Acting Head of Service, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan.
However, National Coordinator of the group, Friday Eleojo, in a statement yesterday, said it was unheard of for a civil servant to be retired at 57, forcefully
“As Civil Society Organizations and concerned citizens committed to strengthening democratic values, rule of law, constitutional rights of citizens and professionalism/competence in our administrative system, we are condemning this unlawful, unconstitutional and unprofessional action of Mr. Governor while voicing our discontent and demanding accountability and transparency in the governor’s decision-making process.
“Appointments based on personal connections undermine the principles of good governance and can lead to mismanagement of public funds.
“Will the state government prioritize serving the public interest and upholding financial regulations, or will personal allegiances continue to influence the course of governance? Only time will tell if this storm will force the governor to reconsider his approach or deepen the cracks within the administration,” he said.