President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has approved the appointment of Mr. Mamman Sale as the Secretary of the FCT Social Development Secretariat.

The appointment is to take immediate effect.

A statement from the office of the president dated November 12, 2009, signed by his Principal Secretary, David Edevbie reads in part “I write with respect to your letter Ref No FCTA/HMS/AD/08/172 dated 5th November, 2009 on the above subject matter to convey His Excellency, Mr. President's approval of the appointment of Alhaji Mamman Sale, as Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat".

The announcement was made by the Special Assistant media to the minister of state FCT, Mr Tony Akunemene. Sale is to take over from Senator Bala Adamu, the former secretary of the secretariat, who resigned voluntarily to take up appointment as the General Manager, National Assembly Affairs of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), under the petroleum ministry.

The new Secretary, Mamman Sale hails from Lau, in Taraba State. He was born in February 1958, and holds a HND and Post Graduate Diploma in Electrical /Communication and Electrical Engineering respectively.

Before the announcement, another Secretary, Hajiya Habiba Kalgo from Borno State had resumed duties at the secretariat. 

Meanwhile, another secretary allegedly appointed by the FCT Minister, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, Hajia Habiba Kalgo, a native of Borno State has already resumed duties as the secretary of the Social Development Secretariat.

 Efforts to get Senator Aliero to comment on the allegation proved abortive as he is away on Hajj in Saudi Arabia, just as his Special Assistant media and public affairs, Abdullahi Zuru declined comments, saying he was not competent to comment on such issues.