HoS To Civil Servants: Party Membership Allowed, Partisan Politics Forbidden Before 2027 Elections

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has cautioned civil servants against engaging in partisan politics while in service.

Speaking Friday at the Quarterly Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement interactive session in Abuja, Walson-Jack underscored the need for public servants to remain neutral and strictly adhere to service rules.

Addressing concerns over a trending Supreme Court judgment, she clarified that civil servants may hold membership in political parties to protect their right of association but are prohibited from active political participation.

“It’s an old judgment that is still in force,” she noted. “Civil servants can be card-carrying members of political parties to safeguard their right of association. However, they must abide by the terms and conditions of service. A civil servant is expected to be neutral, non-political, and focused on the job.”

She added, “You cannot go and be partisan. You serve the government of the day with neutrality. Anything contrary will be dealt with according to public service rules.”