The
first lady, Patience Jonathan, will not relocate to Bayelsa State to
perform the duties of permanent secretary and will not earn any pay
during the period.
Her spokesman, Mr Ayo Osinlu, stated this yesterday during an interview with an online medium, PREMIUM TIMES.
Governor Seriake Dickson had on Wednesday appointed the wife of
President Goodluck Jonathan as a permanent secretary in the Bayelsa
State civil service alongside 17 other senior civil servants in the
state.
But Osinlu claims that, unlike the others appointees, the first lady will hold her office in absentia.
“She is on leave of absence. She is not going to function in the
office of the permanent secretary in Bayelsa State. It is a civil
service position. She is a staff of the Bayelsa State civil service. But
she will also not collect any perk for the office. It will be illegal
for her to draw salary from the office,” he said.
According to Osinlu, the first lady is apparently delighted at the
appointment, saying that she had no cause to publicly accept or decline
the appointment.
The president’s wife, who left the Bayelsa State civil service 13
years ago after her husband became the deputy governor of the state, was
elevated to the position usually reserved for senior civil servants.
Governor Dickson had claimed that he made the appointment in line with the constitutional powers conferred on his office.
Culled: Leadership
