Rt Hon. Joseph Bassey, the Deputy Speaker of Cross River House of Assembly has expressed confidence in the character and integrity of the Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, declaring she is not corrupt.
Speaking with reporters in Calabar on Friday, Bassey said the allegations of fraud within her office were false and baseless, stressing that she has exhibited good character and integrity in service.
He also pointed that since the HoS cannot be associated with any financial impropriety, she should be given a chance to a fair hearing by the Presidency.
“First and foremost, if there is anyone I can vouch for that has character and integrity in service, it is Oyo-Ita because I have known her right from when I was growing up; I know her track record from her civil days in Cross River.
“President Buhari is a man of integrity and the Head of Service has worked under him while he was in charge of Petroleum Task Fund and that was where Buhari built the confidence in her.
“Even when she was being screened for the position of the Head of Service, she was not found to be corrupt or involved in any financial scandal before. She is a civil servant who loves her career.
“Oyo-Ita is not a politician, she got to her present position by merit and God’s grace, so we should support her to continue to deliver service to the Nigerian populace,’’ he said.
While stating that Oyo-Ita’s name should not be dragged to the mud, the Deputy Speaker added that she has distinguished herself as a civil servant and a professional with impeccable character and integrity.
While describing the allegations levelled against her as blackmail and politics, Basey said that Oyo-Ita should not be accused wrongly because she stood her grounds for the right things to be done in the civil service.
He, therefore, maintained that the allegations before Oyo-Ita were not substantial and it was on that premise that the Presidency rejected her resignation letter and asked her to resume work. This he said shows that President Buhari was aware of her track records.
“A group of cabal are operating even without the knowledge of the president and by this doing; they are tarnishing the good name of the President whom we all know is a man of integrity.
“Buhari that we know cannot subject to this cheap way of blackmailing people, it is not nice. Oyo-Ita was not brought up to steal or to be found bending; that is not her style.
“People should stop tagging a dog with a bad name because they want to kill it. What the Head of Service is going through is purely political and I thank the President for his swift respond,’’ he said.
she is very good to all her staff