Power tussle tears anti-graft agency, CCB apart

The Code of a Conduct Bureau (CCB) has been torn apart by a leadership crisis, as two persons battle each other, over who is the authentic Acting Secretary.
The raging battle has also polarised the bureau, as staff are now divided on who they owe loyalty allegiance. Daily Sun learnt that two persons, Mr Agom-Tor Ngusha and Mrs Folasade A. Kolawole, are laying claims to be the acting secretay of the bureau, in the absence of a board
As a result, workers of the bureau may, today, protest the development, which they said have left them confused and without direction. After today’s protest, which will hold at the Federal Secretariat, Phase One, a source at the bureau told Daily Sun that the staff would commence a full blown strike on Wednesday.
The ugly situation at the bureau started last year, when the former CCB board chair, Mr. Sam Saba, queried Mrs Kolawole, who was the Acting Secretary of the agency, for “ insubordination and recalcitrant behaviour to constituted authorities.” The query dated April 7, 2017, accused her of working against the bureau’s Standard Operational Procedure (SOP), which was approved by the president and the Ministry of Justice
She responded to the query on April 10, 2017, and denied the allegation that she undermined the authorities of the bureau. “May I state, from the outset, that, as an experienced civil servant of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of over 30 years, I cannot and have not displayed any insubordination or exhibited any recalcitrant behaviour towards any constituted authority, let alone denigrate the office or personality of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, or even the board of CCB, which I have served, thus far, in various capacities, culminating in my being appointed as the acting secretary of the CCB,” she said.
Mrs Kolawole followed up her response with a memo she sent to the CCB chairman, on April 12, 2017, notifying the board of her resolve to voluntarily retire from service.
The five-paragraph memo was entitled: “Notice of voluntary retirement from service.”
But, her explanation was dismissed as unsatisfactory, by members of the board. In a four-page memo, the chairman, Saba, announced her indefinite suspension with effect from April 12, 2017.
The board’s chairman wrote: “l refer to the Bureau Executive Council letter to you, in the matter dated 12/4/2017, suspending you, indefinitely, from office, following your serious misconduct and abuse of office in mobilising the Directorate cadre staff, in rejecting, totally, the approval of the SOP, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and your subsequent submission of notice of voluntary retirement from service.
“Although your immediate reply of submitting notice of retirement on the same day is unusual and against the best traditions of the public service, it signifies your unrepentant posture and unwillingness to serve your well deserved punishment.
“Nevertheless, BEC has unanimously approved your voluntary retirement, with effect from April 12, 2017, and wish you well in your retirement and your future.”
Mrs Kolawole was paid N873,000 as reparation by CCB.
In her stead, the board named Mr Agom-Tor, who was said to be the most senior person in the agency, as then Acting Secretary.
His appointment could not be ratified as at the expiration of the board .
However, there was a twist to the matter when the board, led by Saba, left last year.
A new board was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, but it is yet to be screened by the Senate.
-Sun