A Permanent Secretary in the Ekiti State Civil Service, Mr. Tunde Alokan, has been sacked by Governor Ayodele Fayose, it was learnt on Monday.Alokan until his removal was the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Office of Establishment.

A source said Alokan was relieved of his job because of his closeness to a former state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

It was learnt that Fayemi attended the burial of Alokan’s late father held in Efon Alaaye in February which the source said did not go down well with the powers that be in the state.

But Fayose, while confirming the dismissal of Alokan on Monday night, said it had nothing to do with Fayemi attending his late father’s burial ceremony.

The governor, who reacted through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said, “The governor has the power to hire and fire. The position of a permanent secretary is political and is at the discretion of the governor; enough of this blackmail.

“Fayemi also sacked some permanent secretaries while in office, so what has happened is not new. The governor is not aware that Dr. Fayemi attended Alokan’s late father’s burial, so attributing his sack to that is cheap blackmail.”

Fayemi appointed Alokan as permanent secretary in January 2012.

Another Government House source explained that Alokan’s elder brother, Tokunbo, who is a Director on Grade Level 16 “is also on his way out of the civil service.”

His predicament was also linked to Fayemi’s appearance at their late father’s burial.

A source said, “After the burial, the following week, his elder brother who is also a civil servant was asked to report at the Office of Establishment.

“A panel was set up to investigate Mr. Tokunbo with the younger brother (Mr. Tunde) mandated to chair the panel an offer which he turned down.

“Although the two of them were to be sacked the same day, that of the elder brother was put on hold to pave the way for his investigation and interrogation by the panel.

“Since his younger brother turned down the offer to chair a panel raised to try Mr. Tokunbo, another person will be appointed to perform the task and your guess is as good as mine on the result that would come out of the panel.