Nigerians may recall that one of the biggest criticism that trailed the government of President Goodluck Jonathan administration was his lukewarmness to take action in his then Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina despite several recommendations by the 7th Senate. Though he would later fire Maina when it got too hot, many, including the opposition felt a lot of damage had already been done. It is however shocking and evil to see the reappearance of Maina under the Muhammadu Buhari government.

The Man Maina And What He Stood For
Maina, an Assistant Director in charge of Customs,Immigration and Prisons Pension in the Federal ministry of Interior within the human resources department, was appointed the Chairman on Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms by Goodluck Jonathan's administration. The key mandate of the task force was to sanitise public pension sector that has been enmeshed in acute corruption, his position was like a sort of cop.



To his credit, Maina's Team blew the whistle that led to the investigation, prosecution and "conviction" of Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, then serving Assistant Director who stole over N2 billion belonging to Police pensioners. He pleaded guilty and was tried alongside accomplices that include; then Permanent Secretary, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, the Director, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Cashier Veronica Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira the ICT Officer.

N/B: Despite pleading guilty to the stealing of N2 billion belonging to retired policemen, Mr Yusufu was told by the trial judge, Justice Abubakar Talba of Abuja High Court to forfeit properties that weren't worth 200 million naira and pay N250,000 fine to avoid going to jail. He paid right there in court.

Maina was however accused of "re-stealing" N2 billion belonging to pensioners by pensioners through petitions to both the Senate and House of Representative. He was invited by the Senate joint committee on public service and establishment led by Aloysius Etok to defend himself but refused to honor any invitation, the Senate subsequently issued an arrest warrant on him. Maina absconded the country after the police management withdrew his security details and placed him on Wanted List. He was equally fired from the Civil service for absconding from duty and his failure to respond to summons.

It is unfortunate that such a man could be returned to the service through the backdoor by an administration that came to power through its anti corruption rhetoric.

Who Is Liable For Maina's Return?
In my candid opinion, the following people are primarily liable for the return of Maina.

1. Gen (Dr) Abdulrahman Dambazzau: The Interior minister, who is also in charge of supervision of Nigeria Police that had declared Maina a fugitive cannot turnaround to claim innocence. The fugitive was posted to his ministry as a director of Human Relations (if his claim is correct). Part of citizens responsibility (as demanded by the law) is to arrest fugitives and hand them over to security agencies or give valuable information that will lead to arrest of fugitive. Maina, being a fugitive was supposed to have been arrested by citizen Dambazzau and handover to the Police or EFCC that declared him Wanted. As public servant, Dambazzau is under a oath to uphold, protect and defend the laws of land, which he failed to in this case.

2. Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita (Head of Service, HOSF): She is in charge of posting, reposting and discipline of civil servants. I am very sure she is aware of Maina return and approved his payment of benefits. As HOSF, she was expected to understand the implication of the return of Maina as an infringement on civil service rules.

3. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior: Being the Chief Accounting Officer of the ministry, the "Perm sec" cannot claim ignorance of this backdoor appointment.

4. President Muhammadu Buhari: The bucks stops at his table! He can't claim ignorance of Maina return because such senior level appointment/reappointment cannot take effect without his authorised approval/signature upon the recommendations of HOSF and Federal Civil Service Commission. His recent claim of ignorance is simply face-saving to get someone take the fall.

Appropriate Action
What is appropriate now is for the President to fire/suspend everyone with link (or possible link) to the reappointment of Maina and judiciously institute a probe to unravel all the real perpetrators of this wicked act. They have betrayed the trusts of Nigeria people especially pensioners, whose monies were squandered by Maina and likes after putting decades into the service of the country.

As for Buhari, I'm sure Nigerians should be tired of him already. The scandal he has been linked with in less than 3 years in government is more than the entire scandal in the 5+ years of the past administration. He has no moral justification remaining in office beyond the May 29, 2019 mandate given him by the Nigeria electorate on March 28, 2015 and which came to effect on May 29, 2015.

Sacking Maina is not enough, Baba Must Go!

return of Epistle writer

Penaldo:
return of Epistle writer

No bashing on my birthday pls

I didn't read what you wrote bro. But whatever it is, for either reabsorption or appointment of someone at the topmost echelon of the Federal Civil Service, the President's accent is key.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, the buck begins and ends at Mr President's table.

Happy Birthday by the way. God bless you.

omenka:
I didn't read what you wrote bro. But whatever it is, for either reabsorption or appointment of someone at the topmost echelon of the Federal Civil Service, the President's accent is key.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, the buck begins and ends at Mr President's table.

Small sense fall on you

omenka:
I didn't read what you wrote bro. But whatever it is, for either reabsorption or appointment of someone at the topmost echelon of the Federal Civil Service, the President's accent is key.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, the buck begins and ends at Mr President's table.

Well, I'm glad you agree with the key point on the indictment of the President.

However, I'm sure there are other key people that played active roles that must be kicked out pending when Nigerians decide the fate of the President in 2019.


Meanwhile, I'm back from my self-imposed sabbatical

Tonya, you be APCEEE or PDPEEE??

TonyeBarcanista:
No bashing on my birthday pls

lol, bashing is allowed scorpio

OZAOEKPE:



Tonya, you be APCEEE or PDPEEE??

APDA Youths have returned to PDP after some reconciliation that was held and circumstance that came up.

So, I'm back... No Bashing though (at least for today)

OZAOEKPE:


Tonya, you be APCEEE or PDPEEE??

dey guy dey fence

Kyase:
lol, bashing is allowed scorpio

pls defer the bashing for tomorrow

TonyeBarcanista:

APDA Youths have returned to PDP after some reconciliation that was held and circumstance that came up.

So, I'm back... No Bashing though (at least for today)

Wow! Welcome back bro, PDP can still be reformed. The massive corruption going on in this government will shake the foundation of the earth...

TonyeBarcanista:
pls defer the bashing for tomorrow

no problem, tomorrow by 12am

OZAOEKPE:

Wow! Welcome back bro, PDP can still be reformed. The massive corruption going on in this government will shake the foundation of the earth...

Thanks bro... Still preparing my shock absorber for the bashing that will trail it ...



Meanwhile, truth is that Young people should also play politics of interest if they want to be taken serious by the establishment. Nigeria honors rebels lol

TonyeBarcanista:

So after the bashing you still return to pdp. Anyways 12am is fast approaching

TonyeBarcanista:
Thanks bro... Still preparing my shock absorber for the bashing that will trail it ...



Meanwhile, truth is that Young people should also play politics of interest if they want to be taken serious by the establishment. Nigeria honors rebels lol

dont envy today sha

Buhari is the real name for corruption because of tribal and religious sentiments..... who will save this contraption called niajuria


well the agamevu is back, yesterday Apda,today Pdp, tomorrow maybe Upp

My good friend and brother you've said it all, i love the part here you said Baba Must Go. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Once again bro

buhari is no saint after all.

Why did you forget to include the man that gave the legal advice- Attorney General Malami?

OZAOEKPE:



Tonya, you be APCEEE or PDPEEE??

please lets take slow on him. sometimes things like that, lets respect his choice

erunz:
please lets take slow on him. sometimes things like that, lets respect his choice

I do respect his right to association

I endorse the part that says BABA MUST GO

His back to the "dead party"?? Some people no just get shame sha....

Nigeria! No one has any ideology, all about politics of interest and anywhere belle face. TonyeBarcanista...SMH

omenka:
I didn't read what you wrote bro. But whatever it is, for either reabsorption or appointment of someone at the topmost echelon of the Federal Civil Service, the President's accent is key.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, the buck begins and ends at Mr President's table.

Happy Birthday by the way. God bless you.

God bless you

@ TonyeBarcanista

Happy birthday !

TonyeBarcanista, how did you end up exonerating the AGF? He initiated the entire saga and should be the fall guy in this case. In as much as I don't want to exonerate Dambazau, chairman FCSC and HOS, they really don't have much case to answer. They will simply claim they acted on the legal opinion/advice of the AGF. Go and read the reinstatement letter and you will understand better.

Your assertion that the president need to sign off on the reinstatement is also not true. The power to hire, fire, discipline, promote, demote, reinstate etc of federal civil servants belongs entirely to the FCSC as provided in the constitution. The president does not need to sign off on anything for the commission to do their job legitimately. The president cannot even sack a civil servant, he can only give directive to FCSC to sack someone like he did yesterday in Maina's case.

Kyase:
dey guy dey fence