₦airaland Forum

sarrki:
Chief wailer I sight you

sarrki:
How is the wailing going on the other side

sarrki:
I hope pmb won't be blamed for this ?

The suspect who is a married man said; “I have known Elizabeth for about five years and I only want to secure a loan from LAPO microfinance Bank before she suddenly collapsed in the hotel room”.

There are indications that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will today approve the 2018 budget.

The weekly Council meeting, which was shifted from yesterday to today, åhas budget submission as the only item its agenda.

The presidency had set October as the deadline for submission of the budget to the National Assembly in a bid to return the budget cycle from January to December.

LEADERSHIP gathered that barring any last minute change, President Muhammadu Buhari would present the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday next week.

It was also learnt that the president will today evening host the leadership of the National Assembly to a dinner to smoothen the relationship between the executive and legislature ahead of the submission of the budget to the National Assembly.

As part of effort to beat the October deadline, President Buhari had two weeks ago presented the 2018-2020 medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) and the fiscal strategy paper (FSP) to the House of Representatives in preparation for the presentation of the 2018 budget.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, read a letter dated October 9, 2017, conveying the MTEF/FSP to the House.

Although the Speaker read the letter without giving details, LEADERSHIP gathered reliably that in the MTEF, the federal government projected a budget of N7.9 trillion for 2018, about N500 billion more than the 2017 N7.44 trillion appropriations.

It was also learnt that the federal government proposed $45 per barrel of oil and a 2.3 million barrel per day (mbpd) oil production quota for the 2018 budget.

The executive is said to have equally proposed an exchange rate of N305/$1, with 12.42 inflation rates, a 4.8 per cent GDP growth rate and nominal GDP of N133.97 trillion, as well as N81.60 trillion nominal consumption.

It is also expected that N2.4 trillion would be spent on capital projects implementation as against N2.17 trillion approved for 2017.

The 2016 and 2017 budgets submitted by the president to the National Assembly in December were marred by controversies.

To avoid issues of missing budget and budget padding, the executive is keen on avoiding zany form of controversy in the 2018 budget.

Senate Mulls Scrapping Of Agencies Over N2tn Revenue Loss

Several Acts and laws setting up some federal government agencies risk being repealed by the Senate.

Some lawmakers who spoke on the floor of the Red Chamber yesterday called for the scrapping of the revenue generating agencies.

They attributed their suggestion to the huge revenue leakages annually, resulting in over N2 trillion in losses incurred by the federal government from remittances of the agencies between 2012 and 2016.

Also, the Senate committee on Public Accounts (SPAC) has threatened to publish names of agencies that have not submitted their annual reports and audited accounts for 2016 in the mass media.

Call for scrapping of some of the federal agencies were made following debate on the interim reports of the Senate ad-hoc committee on alleged misuse, under-remittance and other fraudulent activities in collection, accounting, remittance and expenditure of IGR by revenue generating agencies.

The Senators were palpably angered by the discovery in the report that about N2 trillion loss was incurred from under-remittances by various agencies of the federal government and that about N19 out of the N21.5 trillion generated revenue was spent by them during period under review.

Senator Ben Murray Bruce (PDP Bayelsa) said the report should give the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly, the required legislative weapon for scrapping many of the agencies that are nothing but drain pipes in the nation’s economy.

According to him, the Voice of Nigeria (VON), which was created during the era of cold war between the western and eastern blocs, has lost its relevance of existence and yet, it is still being heavily funded by the federal government without remitting any reasonable revenue to the federation account.

“The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) which made N1.2 billion under-remittance out of N7billion generated, going by this report, needs just about 2,000 efficient workforce as against the over bloated 8,000 workforce it presently parades”, he stated.

In his submission, Senator Tayo Alasoadura declared that all the 601 federal government agencies are over bloated and not understaffed in anyway, with attendant heavy burden on the nation’s revenues in form of huge salaries.

Also contributing, the deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said besides amending the laws, it was imperative to either merge or scrap some of the agencies of government that are not productive or useful to the economy.

He called on the Senate to study the Orosanya committee report and make further recommendations for the scrapping or merger of some agencies that are consuming government revenue rather than generating funds.

In the 32 – page report presented by the committee chairman, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC Lagos West), 25 out of the entire 93 revenue-generating agencies covered are alleged to have defrauded the federal government to the tune of N2 trillion through under-remittances of revenues made between 2012 and 2016.

Specifically, the Senator said the Nigeria Customs Service, which generated N335.855billion during the period under review, failed to remit N83.963billion as 25% of the amount generated in line with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

Similarly, as contained in the report, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) made under-remittance of N33.83billion out of the N455.5billion it generated.

Also included is the Nigerian Ports Authority, which recorded under-remittance of N86.636 billion into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), despite generating N789.104billion.

Others are CBN, N13.716billion under-remittance, out of N3.098 trillion generated; NIMASA, N184.489 billion under remittance out of N301.160billion generated and NTA N5.567billion under remittance out of N56.817 billion generated.

For NNPC, the committee stated that, while the Nation’s cash cow during the period under review, generated N15.541trillion, its entire expenditure during the period was N18.657 trillion, exceeding the corporation’s revenue profile by N3.115trillion.

But consideration for the recommendations made in the interim report was deferred till submission of the final report in six weeks.

Meanwhile, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Senate yesterday threatened to publish the names and details of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government that do not comply with the constitutional provision requiring them to submit their annual reports and audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.



The chairman of the committee, Senator Matthew Uroghide, who issued the threat, said the committee would also make recommendations to the Senate to suspend the budget approvals of the defaulting MDAs until they comply.

“Information from the Office of the Auditor General shows that all the federal government statutory corporations, commissions, authorities and agencies are not up to date with their submission of their annual accounts and audited reports as specified by section 85 (3) of the constitution. They have, therefore, violated the provisions of the constitution”, Uroghide said.

He said the committee will conduct status inquiry on the revenue generation and expenditure of the MDAs as appropriated, as part of its function to expose inefficiency, waste and ineffectiveness in the management of public funds.

$3bn Of Proposed Borrowing to Refinance Loans By Past Administration – Adeosun

Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has revealed that $3 billion of the $5.5 billion, which it plans to raise from the international financial market, will be used to refinance debts the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government inherited from the past administration.

The Minister, who appeared on Arise TV News Programme, said the proposed $5.5 billion loan is made up of two components namely refinancing of heritage debts to the tune of $3 billion and new borrowing of $2.5 billion for the 2017 Budget.

She said, “Let me explain the $5.5 billion borrowing because there have been some misrepresentations in the media in the last few weeks. The first component of $2.5 billion represents new external borrowing provided for in the 2017 Appropriation Act to partly finance the deficit in that Budget.

“The borrowing will enable the country to bridge the gap in the 2017 budget currently facing liquidity problem to finance some capital projects

“For the second component, we are refinancing existing domestic debt with the $3 billion external borrowing. This is purely a portfolio restructuring activity that will not result in any increase in the public debt”.

Adeosun noted that the country’s debt puzzlingly rose from N7.9 trillion in June 2013 to N12.1 trillion in June 2015, despite the fact that only 10 per cent of the budget was allocated to capital expenditure when oil price exceeded $120 per barrel.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

ba7man:
Buhari was poisoned using his air conditioning. The office was thrashed and everything in it replaced ( They told the public it was rats but in reality, it's far more dangerous situation but kept away from public knowledge ).

The people that attempted to kill him are around him but they are still unknown.

Their network has always been and they're fighting to remain.

Even V.P Osinbajo has his own battles away from the public eyes.

madridguy:

The lingering dispute between the Senate and the Executive arm over the retention of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made a rude re-entry into the front burner of public discourse wednesday as the Red Chamber threatened to filibuster the confirmation of the nomination of Ms. Aisha Ahmad as a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded Ahmad’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation as a replacement for Mrs. Sarah Alade whose tenure expired in February.

But the Senate said yesterday that it would not consider the nomination in line with its July 4, 2017 resolution to suspend all executive confirmation requests until Magu is removed.

Besides, it said, the hostility would persist until the Senate’s power of confirmation of nominees to the boards of commissions established by enabling laws but not listed in the 1999 Constitution as amended, is clarified.

The Senate made the resolution, following a pronouncement by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that the Executive did not require the confirmation of the Senate for the appointment of Chairman of the EFCC, explaining that the request should not have been transmitted in the first instance.

Magu’s nomination was rejected twice by the Senate on the basis of a report of the Department of State Services (DSS), which indicted him for criminal and unprofessional conduct.

Despite his rejection, Magu remained in office, a development, which has remained the source of the tension between the Senate and the Executive arm of government.

Ahmad’s appointment would be the fifth casualty of the Senate’s filibuster policy, the confirmation of the nomination of Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila (Director General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission), Mr. Funso Doherty (Director-General, Pension Commission), Mr. Muhammad Isah (Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau), and Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye (Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission) having been suspended earlier.

The Senate also suspended the confirmation of members of the boards of the agencies and forbade them from operating in an acting capacity as directed by the Executive.

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, in a telephone interview with THISDAY on Wednesday, confirmed that Ahmad’s nomination remained pending alongside the request for the confirmation of the four nominees for the Monetary Policy Committee.

He also confirmed that the impasse between the Executive and the Senate over Magu remained unresolved.
“Of course, the subject matter of that resolution has not been addressed. Until there is that engagement to know what to do, I am afraid that is still the position of the Senate. There was no time that resolution was reconsidered and there are quite a number of confirmation requests still pending before the Senate,” Abdullahi said.

He pointed out that the same executive arm of government had corrected itself when it sent nominations that were not in line with the law, or when the Senate rejected some of its nominees, as was the case of some non-career ambassadorial nominees.

He said: “The wisdom is very simple, if we have the power to confirm and for which you have invoked the relevant passages to forward these nominations to us when we confirm and you accept, then if we don’t confirm, there is no other way to say no.

“Recall that when the NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission ) confirmation requests came, there were observations that the nominations did not fall in line with the law, we rejected it, sent it back and the executive corrected it.

“It is my personal wish that those who have the responsibility to Nigerians on this subject matter would look at it. That has been the situation and it has worked smoothly, I don’t know why some people think otherwise. In any case, the position to this is very clear, that is the position.”

Buhari, in a recent letter to the Senate, had sought the expeditious confirmation of Ahmad as well as Adeola Adenikinju, Aliyu Sanusi, Robert Asogwa and Asheikh Maidugu, who are expected to replace four members of the MPC whose tenures expire at the end of this year.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers yesterday called for the scrapping of agencies of government that had become irrelevant in contemporary Nigeria, and those whose mandates conflicted with other agencies.

The lawmakers said this was necessary to reduce unnecessary and avoidable expenditure, particularly as many of the agencies cost more to maintain than they generate.

The recommendation came as the lawmakers discussed the interim report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Alleged Misuse, Under Remittance and other fraudulent activities in Collection, Remittance and Expenditure of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by revenue generating agencies.

The report accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of running a deficit of N3.1 trillion between 2012 and 2016 despite generating N15.5 trillion in the same period.
It also accused 93 agencies of short-changing the government to the tune of N1.7 trillion from the N21 trillion they generated.

The lawmakers argued that the agencies had explored loopholes in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, to short-change the government, whereas the Constitution requires that all revenue accruing to government be paid into the Federation Account.
Presiding, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, ruled that the committee was granted an additional six weeks to work out the accounting and legal technicalities of the final report.

He said: “It is clear that the Fiscal Responsibility Act has loopholes, which people are taking advantage of. What has the Fiscal Responsibility Commission been doing all these years? How do we address it when a law is in conflict with the constitution?”

He emphasised the need to clean up the process and stop situations where agencies expended about N13 trillion or more, while the national budget was just above N7 trillion.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, called for a review of the report of the Stephen Orosanye Committee.
“We have too many agencies, some have conflicting duties. The issue is that some of the agencies were created before independence, pre-dating the constitution,” he said.

Senator Ben Murray Bruce (Bayelsa PDP) said many of the agencies had bloated workforce and cost a lot to maintain.
Bruce who was a former Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the Chairman of the Board of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), said the Voice of Nigeria had lost relevance in the post-Cold War world.

“FRCN has 8,000 workers but it can be run with just 2,000 workers. I will not advocate firing anybody because people are hungry, but this is a very inefficient way to run a country. Let’s sell those agencies to the private sector, we can use the budget to build schools and hospitals,” Bruce argued.

He further observed that there was a need to examine the competence of political appointees deployed to head IGR agencies and adequate training should be provided for them on assumption of duty.

Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers APC) expressed worry at the clash between the FRA and the constitution on the remittance of all revenue to the federation account.

“It is incumbent on any agency which does not do so (remit to the federation account) to show which section of the law it relies on for its action,” he said and added that only 31 of the agencies are exempted by the FRA.

Meanwhile, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Senate has threatened to publish the names and details of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, which do not comply with the constitutional stipulation requiring them to submit their annual reports and audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Matthew Uroghide, speaking at a news conference wednesday, said the committee would also make recommendations to the Senate to suspend the budget approvals of the defaulting MDAs until they comply.

“Information from the Office of the Auditor General shows that all the Federal Government’s statutory corporations, commissions authorities and agencies are not up to date with the submission of their annual accounts and audited reports as specified by Section 85 (3) of the constitution. They have, therefore, violated the provisions of the constitution,” Uroghide said.

He disclosed the intention of the committee to conduct a status inquiry on the revenue generation and expenditure of the MDAs as appropriated, as part of its function to expose inefficiency, waste and ineffectiveness in the management of public funds.

Uroghide, who was recently appointed the committee chairman, added that the committee would embark on monitoring government projects to ensure value for money, ascertain the level of transparency, efficiency and effectiveness of government projects and programs in the expenditure of public funds.

DonVikings:
That is my boy. Now sit down and be humble.

DonVikings:
Do I look like a gay to you? Why are you telling me?

DonVikings:
Shut up boy.

grayht:
This kind pics sef...!!!
What happened to LRU's Photographer? Dem done sack am ni

DonVikings:
That does not stop me from showing you pictures of Almajiris in Southern Nigeria.

DonVikings:
IDPigs in Biafraland.

DonVikings:
Afonja!

The Presidency on Wednesday said there was no truth in the claim by Maina’s family that the present administration invited the former pension boss back to the country to join “the change agenda.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu urged Nigerians to ignore the family who made the allegation he described as ridiculous.

“The claim that the Buhari administration invited the wanted Abdulrasheed Maina back into the country is a freshly minted falsehood. Nobody should believe that.

“The family that made that claim simply wanted to be ridiculous. Please ignore them,” the presidential spokesman said.

Shelloween:
with a private jet and 3 plots of land in Maitama kwo? No be only gold you dey dig.... Destiny follow.

9jatriot:
Only God knows what more these criminals did when Buhari was sick in London. It appears not only PMB's enemies wanted him not to return but some of his so called kitchen cabinet.

Family members of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, say their son is not a fraudster but a messiah who brought reforms into the pension scheme.

At a news conference in Kaduna on Wednesday, Aliyu Maina, spokesman of the family, accused a “cabal” of being behind the travails of the dismissed civil servant.

He said based on his “sterling record” at the scheme, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari appealed to Maina to key into the “change agenda”.

Aliyu wondered why government officials were denying his brother. He said it was the Department of State Services (DSS) that gave him protection for him.

“It is on record that Abdulrasheed Maina’s reform put to a stop the fraudulent withdrawal of huge sums from both the Nigerian Pension Board, the Nigerian Police Pension Board, etc. Perhaps it is his noble efforts that made him enviable to the present administration when they came into power to convince him to come back and assist in its ‘CHANGE’ agenda,” he said.

“Abdulrasheed was in fact invited by this administration and he was promised security to come and clean up the mess and generate more revenue to government by blocking leakages.

“He succumbed to the present administration and came back to Nigeria. He has been working with the DSS for quite some time and he was given necessary security.

“There is a letter from the attorney-general of the federation where he gave his own legal opinion regarding the court verdict which was submitted to the Civil Service Commission and the head of service respectively. So, one wonders why all the agencies and various individuals responsible for his return are now denying.”

Asked to comment on Maina’s whereabouts, Aliyu said: “As you know Abdulrasheed Maina had been a target of in the past, so experience is the best teacher. But when his security is guaranteed, he will surface from wherever he is and tell Nigerians the truth.”

Aliyu, who said the family had sought the intervention of its lawyers, added that Maina would soon make some damning revelations.

“All the same, we have contacted our solicitors, Messrs Mamman Nasir & Co and instructed them to act appropriately. We equally know that Abdulrasheed Maina is in possession of so facts that are against the cabal and interesting to the Nigerian populace, which he will disclose soonest. One must ask whether it is an offence for somebody to serve his fatherland,” he said

The family said Maina inherited the houses which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently seized in Kaduna.

He said the anti-graft agency had ordered the family members to vacate their residential house in Kaduna.

pally123:
Not to talk of how she washes her nunu with them

DonVikings:

DonVikings:
Afonja! !

seunmsg:
Dambazau himself should resign from office over his role in the entire saga.

Funjosh:
Please don't reset, we just need a new app

APC expresses shock

Reacting to the scandal, the ruling All Progressives Congress expressed shock.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who spoke with reporters at the APC national headquarters, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said, “We are all shocked like any other person. It is almost unbelievable that such a thing can happen; however, we are all delighted that President Buhari has taken very decisive punitive action against those that are involved.

“We are also delighted that he has ordered investigation into the circumstances that led to this individual to be reinstated into the public office.

“We believe as a party that whoever that was part of this or found to be part of this must face appropriate consequences because it is an embarrassment to the party, government and it is unacceptable.”

In response to a question on the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s committee, which investigated the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawan, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, Abdullahi said, “The President must have a reason (for staying action) and unless we know those reasons, we cannot come to conclusions that he has not acted.

HoS queries perm secs

In a related development, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, has queried two permanent secretaries over Maina’s controversial reinstatement and promotion.

Oyo-Ita, who on Monday submitted a report on the issue to the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, based on Buhari’s order was said to have in turn asked the permanent secretaries to explain their roles.

The affected permanent secretaries are those of the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed this to one of our correspondents on Tuesday.

Shehu said while the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior had responded to the query, the response of that of the Civil Service Commission was being expected as of the time of filing this report.

The presidential spokesman said, “The Head of Service queried the permanent secretaries of the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Ministry of Interior.

“The response of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior is in now and I think that of the commission may be turned in tonight (Tuesday) too.”

Shehu had, while confirming the receipt of Oyo-Ita’s report on Monday, indicated that the Presidency was still awaiting other reports.

“I have confirmation that the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Oyo-Ita, has brought the report on the re-engagement of Abdulrasheed Maina as directed by the President.

“This is being studied as other reports are being awaited,” he had said.

Fire AGF, others -Activists

In its reaction, a coalition of civil rights lawyers on Tuesday in Jos demanded that Malami and Dambazau ‘‘be dismissed from office with immediate effect, investigated and prosecuted for their roles in shielding an evidently corrupt individual.”

The organisation, under the aegis of Public Interest Defenders, in a statement issued by its Chairman, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said both ministers could not be said to have acted in good conscience.

Olajengbesi said, “By virtue of Section 174(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the AGF shall exercise his powers as chief law officer of the nation with particular attention to public interest, interest of justice and safety from tyranny.

“It is our firm belief that the AGF is currently acting contrary to our collective interest as a people, and it is high time he was removed from office and a more committed individual with public interest at heart be appointed.’’

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, has asked the wanted former chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, to report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, The PUNCH has learnt.

Dambazau’s directive is contained in an official correspondence sent to the EFCC by the ministry.

It was learnt that the letter was in response to a letter written to the ministry asking that it makes Maina available for questioning.

Sources within the EFCC said the usual procedure for inviting senior government officials is to write to the head of the ministry or agency where the person works.

A source at the EFCC said, “The Ministry of Interior sent a letter to the EFCC on Tuesday informing the commission that it had mandated Maina to make himself available for questioning at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

“So far, Maina has not made himself available and we are still looking for him.”

The suspect has also not reported to work since the close of work last Friday.

Also speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said that operatives were still on Maina’s trail.

He said, “We are still on his trail and he has not yet been arrested.”

An EFCC source revealed that the commission had limited its search to the Kaduna/Kano area.

Dambazau spoke even as Maina’s lawyer, Esther Uzoma, said on the telephone on Tuesday that she did not know his whereabouts.

When asked if she would cooperate with the authorities to locate him, Uzoma refused to speak further.

Uzoma, who is a human rights activist, said, “I don’t know where he (Maina) is and I cannot speak further.”

Senate, House begin probe

Meanwhile, the Senate and House of Representatives have ordered separate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the reinstatement and subsequent promotion of Maina.

Pursuant to this, the Senate on Tuesday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate Maina’s reinstatement as a civil servant and subsequent promotion.

The Senate’s decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Senator Isa Misau.

In his motion, Misau noted that it was disheartening that an individual, who had been on the wanted list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for fraud-related offences, could be re-absorbed into the public service.

Misau said, “When the person left, he left as assistant director; but when he was coming back, he was given the position of a director, not even a deputy director. And this person who is on the wanted list, when he came back, people saw policemen attached to him.

“I don’t understand why a government that is always talking about fighting corruption and the same people who are close to the President are covering people who are highly corrupt in the society.”

The lawmaker recalled that the 7th Senate investigated Maina and he was declared wanted.

“I think in a government where we are preaching that the right thing be done, it is a big embarrassment for this government. We need the Senate to investigate this matter and find out how this person came back, how security men were attached to him and did not arrest him.

“I think it is unfortunate. For me, it is only the President who is talking about anti-corruption; people surrounding Mr. President are the ones giving cover and shelter to corrupt individuals.”

Senators took turns to condemn the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN). The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, said, “Those charges (against Maina) remain unanswered but tragically, not only did he return, he returned to an elevated position. It is an insult to all the civil servants who were doing their jobs diligently during those years Maina ran away.”

Adeyeye, who is a member of the ruling APC, described the development as “a sad moment.”

He said, “We cannot be saying we want to fight corruption and then we allow this kind of ‘the more you look, the less you see.

“What is sure is that certain people in the Executive are determined to make this President fail. Every member of my party and every patriot who is here must ensure this President does not fail. Whoever is responsible for this terrible decision must account for it.”

Adeyeye recalled the Maina issue was extensively debated in the 7th Senate, saying, “It got to an extent that the then Senate President, Senator David Mark, actually gave the then President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the option to choose between loyalty to Maina and respect for the Constitution and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It got too bad because at that time we were alarmed that a (Grade) Level 14 officer had more than 25 policemen guarding him day and night. It got so bad that every time the then President travelled, a Level 14 officer was always in the front roll even though he had nothing to do with any area that had to do with protocol.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Senator Attai Aidoko, argued that his colleagues were looking at the symptoms and not the cause.

He said, “The person who returned Maina is the problem. The Minister of Interior said that he had no power to return Maina; that somebody else was responsible for returning Maina.

“The person, who returned Maina, as we were told, is the attorney general of the Federation. This is not the first time the attorney general would be doing something like this.”

Senator Dino Melaye, in his contribution said, “Buhari is a very good man and the man means well but he is surrounded by cankerworms and caterpillars.

“We are not talking about Maina; we should talk about the integrity of the AGF and minister of justice; that is the chief law officer. If the law officer has his hands stained, then the entire nation is higgledy-piggledy.

“Today, something happened that we have not noticed. Two public officers quarrelled – the Inspector General of Police and Senator Isa Hamman Misau. By the interpretation of what the attorney general did (suing Misau), he chose to support one public officer against another public officer.

“When did the IGP become synonymous or equivalent to the Federal Government? Today, it is Isa Hamman Misau vs. Federal Government. IGP as an individual is not the Federal Government. By the Constitution, the AGF is supposed to prosecute only in public interest. How does an individual now constitute public interest?”

In his submission, Senator Samuel Anyanwu said Maina’s reinstatement was a discouragement to the civil service. He urged the Senate to invite Malami to address the lawmakers on how the fugitive was reinstated.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, subsequently set up an investigative panel, made up of chairmen and vice chairmen of Senate committees on Public Service and Establishment; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption; and Internal Affairs.

While constituting the panel, Saraki said, “Honestly, we are all very disturbed and I will like the committee to work very hard and bring the report back to us on this matter that really borders on security, fight against corruption and how we manage our public service.” Saraki mandated the panel to report back in two weeks.

The House of Representatives passed a similar resolution during its plenary session on Tuesday. The House directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately arrest and prosecute Maina to “serve as a deterrent to others who might have corrupt tendencies.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday ordered Maina’s sacking.

However, at a session presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, the House resolved to investigate the “disappearance, reappearance and subsequent reinstatement/promotion” of Maina after the EFCC had declared him wanted.

The motion that called for the probe was moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Interior, Mr. Jagaba Adams-Jagaba.

Adams-Jagaba, a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kaduna State, recalled how the Nigeria Police accused Maina of “mismanaging” over N100bn” pension funds, while the EFCC declared him wanted in 2015.

The lawmaker described as “unbelievable”, how a man declared wanted by an anti-graft agency would resume duty in the public service with a promotion.

He also recalled how Maina ignored invitations by the National Assembly to appear to answer questions in connection with the mismanaged pension funds.

Adams-Jagaba’s motion read partly, “The House recalls that Maina fled this country to the United Arab Emirates since 2013 to avoid arrest and prosecution.

“The House also recalls that he was formerly sacked from his position as an assistant director in the Ministry of Interior in 2013 by the administration of (former President) Goodluck Jonathan.

“The House is concerned that Maina came back from self-exile and was posted to his former ministry of interior and given double promotion from an assistant director to acting director.

“The House is aware that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed his sacking from the federal civil service with immediate effect.”

The House resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to conduct the investigation and, specifically, to “recommend strong sanctions against any person or persons, who are implicated in the scandal.”

The motion was passed in a unanimous voice vote by lawmakers at the session.