Mr Taidi Jonathan, former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Minna chapter on Monday lauded President Mohammadu Buhari for the immediate disengagement of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, from federal service.
Jonathan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that the directive demonstrated the commitment of President Buhari to fight corruption to a stand still.
” It is the best thing that has happened in recent time of our nation’s history,” he said.
” The directive by President Muhammadu Buhari for investigation of Maina, who found his way back into service, is timely considering the enormous allegations and the plight of pensioners whose benefits are in issue.”
However, the legal practitioner advised that due due process of law should be observed to avert a back lash in the event of any breach of procedure.
“Mr President has done it all for even directing the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to submit a report on the circumstances surrounding Maina’s reinstatement.”
He called on Nigerians to rally round the effort of the current administration by exposing corrupt public officers through the whistle blower’s policy.
He said that together ” We can make Nigeria a better place for the present and future generation.
Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said the President’s directive was contained in a memo to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita
Adesina stated that the President equally demanded a full report of the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior.
According to the presidential aide, the report is to be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, before the end of work today.
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Oct. 22, had confirmed the resumption of duty by Abdulrasheed Maina, as an Acting Director in his ministry.
READ: BUHARI ORDERS MAINA’S IMMEDIATE DISENGAGEMENT FROM SERVICE
The confirmation came in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the minister, Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo.
Maina was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan as Chairman of the task force in 2010 to check the corruption in the country’s pension system.
In 2012, the Nigeria Police accused him of misappropriating N100 billion pension funds in connivance with others.
The Civil Service Commission reportedly dismissed him for “absconding from duty’’.
Maina was arraigned in absentia by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which declared him wanted in 2015.
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman of the anti-graft agency in a statement at the weekend, said Maina remained on the commission’s wanted list.
