BEVERLY HILLS, August 18, (THEWILL) – An Abuja-based group, Service Integrity Group, has faulted a news report purportedly insinuating that the new Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Danladi Kifas, was not qualified to be appointed into the exalted position because he was allegedly indicted by a probe panel.
A statement issued Monday by the Coordinator of the group, Mallam Sherrif Abdulahi, said: “Our attention was drawn to a news-report purported to insinuate that the new Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi , was indicted by a panel and therefore not qualified to hold public office.
“We affirm that Mr. Kifasi was cleared of any purported indictment as early as March 2006 and was also given clean bill of health by the Attorney General of the Federation in July 2006.
“A judicial Commission of Inquiry had sat over the management of the Federal Superphosphate Fertilizer Company Limited in the Year 2000 and conducted its proceedings in ways and manner widely adjudged to be unfair, biased and predetermined to return a guilty verdict on Mr. Kifasi.
“The white paper was also issued on the flawed report of the commission which was duly challenged in court.”
The group explained that an Abuja court presided over by Justice S.E.Aladetoyinbo had on March 20, 2006 in suit number FCT/HC/M/1770/2001 set aside the report of the judicial panel and the subsequent white paper on the ground that Kifasi was not given fair hearing as contained in Section 30 of the 1999 constitution.
“The judge further set aside any part of the report and the white paper that indicted the new Head of Service on the ground of lack of fair hearing while also barring Federal Government or its agents from implementing both the report and the white paper because the procedure adopted by the Commission in arriving at its decisions were contrary to the cause of natural justice, equity and good governance,” the statement added.
According to the group, “The new Head of Service was duly integrated into the service and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation went ahead to give legal opinion based on the request of the Office of the Head of Service. In a letter Dated 17th July, 2006, the then Justice Minister, Chief Bayo Ojo affirmed that the court judgment cleared all obstacles on the path of Mr. Kifasi to enjoy his rights and privileges within the civil and public service of the Federation.”
The Service Integrity Group therefore declared that Kifasi was and still “a diligent public servant, a man of integrity” who was wrongly accused and who was duly cleared of any misconduct by relevant judicial and administrative organs of the federation.
The group also maintained that “The story is therefore baseless, untrue and a mere hatchet job orchestrated by those who cannot accept the will of God and the decision of Mr. President to appoint Danladi Kifasi as the new Head of Service.”
