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.