- Aduda, Adebiyi In Final Race To Succeed Yemi-Esan
By Abiola Olawale
Reports emerging on Tuesday suggest that the Head of the Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, who reportedly failed to secure the Presidency’s nod for tenure extension may now out of service next month after attaining the mandatory 60 years of age.
The New Diolomat’s checks reveal that the Head of Service of the Federation, Yemi-Esan had purportedly pleaded with the authorities to extend her stay in office beyond August 14, which is her scheduled retirement date.
However, it was gathered that the authorities rejected any bid for tenure elongation given the current policy of the Tinubu administration anchored on Renewed Hope Agenda- to bring about abundant hope to all Nigerians.
Report further reveal that there is already a hot race for Temi-Esan’s successor. “There is commencement of the search for Yemi-Esan’s successor already,” a top source revealed.
According to sources , the appropriate authorities rejected Yemi-Esan’s reported proposal to extend her tenure because she will be 60 years old on August 14 this year, the mandatory retirement age for civil servants in core Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
This, according to The New Diplomat’s checks prompted Yemi-Esan to step back and throw support behind a certain permanent secretary to succeed her, a move which did not go down well with many.
Following this development, a fierce and very intense race has begun in the search for a new Head of Service of the Federation. However, as at today, checks show that the race may have been narrowed down to two Permanent Secretaries, namely the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda; and his State House counterpart, Olusesan Adebiyi. It was learnt that the two might have emerged in a two-horse race to become the next Head of the Service of the Federation.
The New Diplomat gathered that a high-level panel was earlier raised to screen 10 contenders and they were scaled down to the two PS- Aduda and Adebiyi
The Two Front Runners
Aduda
Aduda is said to be the most senior amongst those recommended in terms of service years, but the youngest permanent secretary in terms of age in the federal civil service. He was born on October 25, 1971. he is said to possess awesome capacity and competence.
Before 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, is also 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.
Adebiyi
In his part, Adebiyi, was the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health before his current tenure in the State House.
He was reportedly redeployed to the State House following the need to shop for a solid hand with great capacity for work, in August 2023.
Though born in Kabba, in present day Kogi State, on January 8 1968, Adebiyi hails from Ekiti State in the SouthWest zone. Adebiyi is said to possess competences and great capacity for work.
