Prisons Boss In Sit-Tight Drama Monday, 23 August 2010 00:47 Christiana Esebonu, Abuja   
{japopup type="image" content="images/stories/cover/cvraug2310.jpg" title="" group="group"}  {/japopup} > Refuses to vacate office after tenure expiration
The Comptroller-General (CG) of Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr. Olushola Ogundipe, is embroiled in a sit-tight drama as he stays put in office despite the expiration of his tenure on June 30, 2010.



Sources  close to the  CG,  however, told LEADERSHIP in confidence  that Ogundipe's  tenure had been extended  by a year, but when LEADERSHIP sought evidence of the development , the sources failed to deliver .

LEADERSHIP  is in receipt of a photocopy of the letter directing  the embattled CG to handover  to the   Deputy Comptroller -General of  the Nigeria Prisons Service(administration), Dr. M.S Labo  by the Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho 

to the effect that he should take over the administration of the service  pending the appointment  of  a  new Comptroller-General, confirming that Ogundipe's era was over.


The letter dated  June 30,2010, and  titled: "Command and Management   Cover For The Nigeria  Prisons Services  with Ref No:MI/hmo/s.420, had directed DCG Labo to   provide  command  and management  cover  for the service in the capacity of  Acting Comptroller -General pending the appointment of  substansive Comptroller -General.

LEADERSHIP learnt that the plan to ease out the incumbent was dead-locked when stakeholders were divided over the decision.

It was gathered that the CG who was on a medical treatment abroad had to abandon his treatment to rush back home to remain in office.

A dependable told LEADERSHIP that the CG allegedly leveraged on his links to some top government officials to stay put in office after concluding plans to travel abroad on health grounds by delegating somebody to stand in for him for the period he would be away.

"This was however aborted by the interior minister who insisted that hierarchy must be respected.

Responding to LEADERSHIP inquiries, the Chief Press Secretary of the ministry of Interior, Mr. Timothy Oyedeji however, acknowledged that "the issue has been overtaken by events".

On his part, the Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr. Samuel Kayode stated that he was yet to receive a letter directing the incumbent to vacate office.

"If the Incumbent is occupying his seat illegally, then, I think there are legal ways of dealing with that.

"And if the allegations of corruption against him are actually true, then your paper should be kind enough to list names he has bribed to enable the EFCC and ICPC carry out investigations to that effect."

Asked whether, the incumbent had received a letter from the presidency confirming his tenure elongation; Kayode responded thus, "In fact, this burden should go to wherever the letter emanated from. Am saying this because it is only the SGF or the Ministry of Interior that should be asked to come up with such a letter.

"Besides, the Nigeria Prisons Service as a paramilitary agency does not operate based on appointment, nor a given leadership duration, but on cadre and how many years the service chief has to serve his fatherland before retirement. So, I really do not understand why the issue of a letter confirming his tenure extension is being raised, since he is yet to be retired," he said.

"It was gathered that the CG who was on a medical treatment abroad had to abandon his treatment to rush back home to remain in office."

This means the man did not in the first place travel abroad for medical treatment. If I remember very well, this man was plucked from behind and was appointed CG over his seniors because of Obasanjo. Now that his tenure has expired, he is refusing to go. What is wrong with people in authority? And the government of President Jonathan is not helping matters by allowing this kind of thing to be happening. Let him go and another take his place.

When people sit tight, its usualy because they've not finished covering up tell tale signs of corruption.

Sit tight syndrome is a serious disease in Nigeria. Everybody wants to sit tight even if tenure has expired.

Let him leave the prisons and join politics so that he can ask for second term.