Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, is in a bad place at the moment.

Scratch that. She’s actually been in a bad place for awhile.

Pulse had reported a fortnight ago that Cross River-born Oyo-Ita checked into a hospital after being grilled by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged contract scam to the tune of N3billion.

About N600million has been traced to the account of one of her key aides. This aide has been unable to explain the source of the money. 

The EFCC has now successfully placed a lid on the account and has initiated the process of obtaining an interim forfeiture clause to seize the cash.

The Nation had reported that about N3billion has been traced to the Head of Service. The money hit the accounts through proxy companies, the story details.

Pulse has learnt that the embattled HoS has kept a low profile while pleading for a soft landing behind the scenes, since the EFCC commenced investigation into the alleged theft.

After some sections of the press reported that Oyo-Ita has tendered her resignation letter to President Muhammadu Buhari instead of waiting for the ignominy of being sacked, a presidency source told Pulse that the president was yet to receive her letter of resignation.

Oyo-Ita curiously missed the retreat for ministers-designate on August 20 but was all smiles, pumping hands with everyone during the inauguration of President Buhari’s cabinet on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at the State House. 

The Nation reports that Oyo-Ita has been begging people to plead with President Buhari on her behalf. 

According to the story, Oyo-Ita told Buhari that: “Please, please, please, have mercy on me. I am begging for mercy that this case against me should be stepped down and I should be allowed to retire honourably.

“I do not own proxy companies. Several people came to me to introduce them to Permanent Secretaries. I have been doing this without realising the implication.”

One source also told the newspaper that “she wants a soft-landing from the presidency because some of the contracts under investigation predated her appointment as the Head of Service. They were awarded between 2013 and 2014. 

“Her greatest fears border on alleged moves by the EFCC to put her on trial alongside a former minister. She said there was an initial plan to arraign her in court on August 19 but for providence that she was in the hospital for medical treatment.”

It was alleged in certain sections of the press that the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, is behind Oyo-Ita’s travails. 

Recall that Kyari and Oyo-Ita had a heated argument before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of November 1, 2017, over the reinstatement of runaway former pension boss, Adulrasheed Maina.

But the EFCC has issued a statement to say Kyari isn’t influencing its investigations on Oyo-Ita.

“The reports are insinuating that the ongoing investigation of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation by the commission was instigated by Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari.

“The commission wishes to state that there is no truth in these claims, and urges the public to disregard the reports as the handiwork of mischief makers”, the anti-graft commission said through its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren.

“For the avoidance of doubt, investigation by the EFCC is evidence-based. Most often, they are triggered by petitions or intelligence.

“In the case of the HoS, Oyo-Ita’s investigation, it was prompted by intelligence received by the commission.

“In the discharge of its mandate, the commission does not take instructions from extraneous bodies neither will it lend itself to be used to settle scores by anyone.

“The commission again wishes to appeal to the media to be circumspect in their reportage and not lend themselves to actions that can befuddle the activities of the commission,” the statement added.

Presidency sources have disclosed to Pulse that the president will decide Oyo-Ita’s fate after the EFCC investigation and before her prosecution. 

It is believed in presidency circles however, that the evidence against her is overwhelming--enough to leave the president with little choice.