Senate Investigates Maina’s Recall …PDP Demands Dambazau, HoSF’s Sack …It Is Global Embarrassment -Fayose

The Senate, yesterday, began inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the Reinstatement of a former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, as a director in the Ministry of Interior.
The Senate, in yesterday’s proceeding, queried how and on whose directives the ex-chairman was brought back into the ministry, especially following the refutal by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita that the service never reinstated Maina into the Interior Ministry.
It equally constituted an investigative committee to look into the issue of Maina’s recall.
Maina, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan as chairman of the task force in 2010 to check corruption in the country’s pension system was, however, in 2012, accused by the Nigeria Police of misappropriating N100billion pension funds in connivance with others.
The Federal Civil Service Commission had reportedly dismissed him for “absconding from duty’’ while Maina was equally arraigned in absentia by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which declared him wanted in 2015.
However, the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) had on October 22 confirmed the resumption of duty by Maina, as an acting director in his ministry.
The confirmation came in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the minister, Mr. Ehisienmen Osaigbovo.
But following outrage over Maina’s reinstatement, Dambazau exonerated himself from complicity in the matter.
Likewise, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, last Monday, dismissed media report that she approved the reinstatement of Maina, and his subsequent posting to the Ministry of Interior.
Oyo-Ita’s refutal was contained in a statement by her Assistant Director, Media Relations, Mohammed Manga.
Moreover, President Muhammadu Buhari, last Monday, directed the immediate sack of Maina from the service and equally asked Oyo-Ita to submit a detailed report of the circumstances surrounding Maina’s reinstatement to the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
The Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, confirmed the receipt of the report by the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, last Monday night.
However, the Senate, during its plenary, yesterday, said “We should bring to book any culprit that tries to undermine this country.”
Senator Isah Misau had cited Order 42 and 52 where he talked of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, who was indicted by the EFCC while he was acting director in the Ministry of Interior and then returns to become director.
Commenting, Senator Olusola Adeyeye said “Certain people in the Executive are working against the government.”
Senator Atai Aidoko opined that, “the issue is who brought Maina into office, if the Minister of Interior says he did not do so?”
Sen. Dino Melaye said that “if the office of the attorney general is aware of this appointment, then Nigeria isn’t safe because this lacks Integrity.”
He added that Buhari was a good man and means well but was surrounded by what he described as canker worms.
The Senate, therefore, resolved that the Committee on Public Service and Establishment should investigate: The circumstances of how Maina got into the country; how Maina was reinstated into public service; and how Maina got promoted to the level of director.
Sen. Akpan Bassey added that the committees on Interior and Anti-Corruption should be included to the team carrying out the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for immediate arrest and prosecution of Abdulrasheed Maina, wanted for alleged fraud.
The party made the call in a statement by National Publicity Secretary of its National Caretaker Committee, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, in Abuja.
The party also called for the arrest and prosecution of those who aided the return of Maina to the country after his disappearance for several years, and his restoration to his duty post with added promotion.
The party further called for immediate sack of the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau (rtd) and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, for restoring Maina to office against good conscience.
According to the PDP, Maina fled from Nigeria only to resurface in the country four months ago and was reinstated by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government rather than arresting him.
The PDP also demanded explanation of the Civil Service Rule which was relied upon in promoting Maina, who had abandoned his duty as an assistant director, to the position of a director.
The party expressed disappointment that the EFCC with its viable network wasn’t aware of Maina’s entrance into the country until the media exposed it.
It also deplored the delay by government in prosecuting the graft allegations against suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal.
The party noted that the same also applied to the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ayo Oke.
This is even as Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State described the Maina saga as a global embarrassment.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja