Like the popular axiom, ‘the more you look, the less you see’, the controversy surrounding the exit and reinstatement of the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the federal civil service, is daily assuming a more confusing dimension. JOSHUA EGBODO, in this piece, reviews the damning revelations during the recent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the saga, by the House of Representatives.
The Maina saga
Maina is a name that has assumed so much popularity in Nigeria today, and regrettably for the wrong reason. It is no longer news on how he was reportedly kicked out of the federal civil service by the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration over alleged multi-billion naira graft in the mismanagement of pension funds.
But the erstwhile leader of the taskforce has become a phenomenon, as he in the wake of his sack raised alarm that he was egged out because of his desire to right the existing wrongs. He boasted of how much recovery he made, both in cash and property which were taken as fraudulent acquisitions from proceeds of pension funds by the handlers.
Maina was reported to have embarked on a self exile to the United Arabs Emirate (UAE), in the wake of the saga over alleged several threats to his life by the high and mighty within what is now known as a big “syndicate” in the pension fund thieving arrangement.
While many Nigerians saw that as possible diversionary antics by Maina, Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, last week stunned the House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee investigating Maina’s surprising “reappearance, reinstatement and promotion” in the federal civil service, by confirming that there actually existed the syndicate to which Maina was a member, and that highly placed persons, including members of the National Assembly were also involved.
Syndicate in federal service
The House had in the wake of widespread condemnations by Nigerians on the clandestine manner in which a man, officially declared wanted by the nation’s frontline anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), could find his way back from exile, readmitted and promoted in the public service, passed a resolution on October 24, 2017 mandating the Aliyu Madaki-led panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter. Maina, who held the position of Assistant Director until he was fired in 2013, was reportedly reabsorbed and elevated to the position of Acting Director in the Federal Ministry of Interior, in September, 2017.
However, the AGF to whom fingers were pointed at for allegedly facilitating his come-back and reinstatement last Thursday while facing the panel, vehemently denied knowledge of, or issuing the letter directing the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to reinstate Maina, explaining to the committee that the fugitive former taskforce leader may have shouted fire, only when he fell out with the syndicate.
Malami, who claimed possible loss of memory on some correspondences exchanged between him and the FCSC, also told the committee that as at October 5, 2017 when the last memo on the Maina matter was raised by a line officer in his office, the matter was still “a work in progress”. Flowing from the yet to be taken position by him as the chief law officer of the country, he said “the letter giving clear directive to reinstate him (Maina) could not have genuinely emanated from my office”.
The AGF explained further that he only stepped into the issue based on a letter from Maina’s lawyer over some court judgments, and the desire of the counsel to see that justice was done to Maina, whom he admitted to later met with at Dubai, during which he was briefed on the works of the taskforce, the existence of a pension fraud syndicate that included highly placed persons, how much of cash and property were recovered, and how he (Maina) was almost killed at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, all in the bid to prevent exposure of the syndicate.
But before the House’s resolution prompting the investigation, it was a case of buck passing between the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Winifred Oyo-Ita, the AGF, and the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau on who actually engineered Maina’s reinstatement. The handling of the embarrassing development was to later lead to a reported inglorious open confrontation between President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and Oyo-Ita during an Executive Council meeting at the Villa.
Maina not officially sacked
The hearing turned even more dramatic when legal counsel to Maina, Mohammed Katu, who appeared on his behalf, revealed to the panel that Maina had never been lawfully dismissed from the federal civil service, and that he was paid emoluments up to date. “He (Maina)is and still remains a staff of the federal government,” the lawyer said and vowed to provide evidences. He also explained that even in his hiding, files were still being transmitted to him for treatment. “After the purported dismissal, he still worked for the government”, Katu stated as he tendered letters Maina reportedly signed in the course of carrying out his duties.
He assured that Maina will emerge from hiding to personally face the committee and testify, adding that his client was only in hiding because his life was under serious threat.
The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd), on his part simply told the committee that the process that led to the purported reinstatement of Maina was an administrative one that he was, or cannot be directly involved in as a minister. He said the Permanent Secretary, Abubakar Magaji, as chief accounting officer of the ministry was better placed to explain the issues, but Magaji, he explained, was on sick leave.
Dambazau acted in error
The Head of Service, Oyo-Ita, and Acting Chairman of the FCSC, Joseph Akande also told the panel that the Interior Ministry acted in error by relying on the letter from the Commission to reinstate Maina, since it was only intended for information, and that a directive to effect such processes normally remained the prerogative of the Head of Service.
Ita-Oyo later explained that she withheld the letter from the FCSC, notifying her of the resolution to reinstate Maina, because she wanted to “seek further clarifications”, adding that she was further concerned that the reinstatement would be inimical to the current government’s position to fight corruption, since Maina was yet to clear the allegations over which the EFCC declared him wanted.
The controversial letter, which the AGF has denied originating, had directed the FCSC to “give consequential effect to the secured court judgements” by Maina, which the Chairman of the Commission said he relied on to act. The interior ministry had reportedly acted out of its powers, as the letter was only to inform it that there was the resolution to reinstate Maina.
To followers of the controversy therefore, many questions are begging for answers; who authored the letter? Why was the reinstatement rushed by the interior ministry? Is the Permanent Secretary truly on genuine sick leave? As the probe committee resumed its hearing this Thursday, what is the way out? and many more, which only time can tell.
