Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Monday, demanded the immediate sack of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdurrahman Danbazzau, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who have been fingered in the illegal act of restoring Abdulrasheed Maina to office as a Director in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The party, which reacted to the reinstatement in a statement by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, also demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Maina for his atrocities for which he initially ran away from country.
The party also insisted that the government should ensure the arrest and prosecution of those who helped him return to the country and got restored to his duty post with an added incentive of promotion.
Recall that the last administration of PDP gave Maina an assignment to superintend the now defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, where it was alleged that he misappropriated about N100 billion.
Following this allegation, Maina was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and has not been seen in the public since then.
The PDP said that President Muhammadu Buhari should for once, act like a president of a nation and not as a sectional leader whose ideas of right and wrong depends entirely on who is involved.
“The President should understand that this is a moral and criminal issue and should be so treated.
“We, therefore demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Maina for his atrocities, arrest and prosecution of those who helped him return to the country and got restored to his duty post with promotion added.
“We also demand the immediate sack of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who have been fingered in the illegal act of restoring Maina to office against good conscience,” PDP said.
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The party, which expressed shock at the steps taken by the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in reinstating a supposed fugitive, pointed out that the action of Buhari-led government was ‘a classical example of honour among thieves’.
“Birds of a feather flock together. All people of good conscience will not forget in a hurry that Maina, who was given an assignment by the last administration of the PDP to superintend the now defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, dipped his hands into the jar and helped himself to N100 billion of what he was supposed to safeguard.
“With good conscience at fighting corruption, the PDP government then mandated the anti-corruption agencies to perform their constitutional duty. Maina fled, only to resurface in the country four months ago under the Buhari administration.
“As a party of good conscience, we wish to condemn in strongest terms the penchant of the administration of President Buhari to giving safe haven to known criminals while hoodwinking Nigerians that it’s fighting corruption.
“While we are growing fatigued shouting ourselves hoarse in protest against nepotism, a clear form of corruption under this administration which has been elevated to state craft, we are appalled that the reinforcement of financial corruption by this government might soon lead to the demise of this nation if the celestial does not intervene.”
Daring Buhari’s administration to deny the Maina’s saga, PDP called on Nigerians to demand from the APC government, the civil service rule it relied upon in promoting a wanted criminal who had abandoned his duty post as an Assistant Director, to the position of a Director with all benefits attached.
“We wish the APC government will tell Nigerians where and when, and under which court Jurisdiction Maina was cleared of his criminal allegations of stealing, warranting his restoration to duty and getting rewarded with double promotion.
“It is reported that the fugitive has been rewarded with payment of bogus salary arrears amounting to N22 million, which he has reportedly collected upon approval and release by the Accountant General of the Federation. We dare the government of the day to deny this with verifiable evidences,” it said.
