Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described as ridiculous allegations by the Presidency that government officials loyal to him reinstated ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Buhari’s media aide, Garba Shehu on Wednesday had said some officials who were still loyal to the former President facilitated Maina’s return.
Background:
- Maina was dismissed in 2013 by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
- He was accused of massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.
- Maina sued the Senate, after the upper chamber issued an arrest warrant against him.
- Maina was dismissed by the Head of Service for allegedly absconding from duty and attempting to evade arrest and charged to court.
- Reports recently emerged that Maina has returned to the country, now works with the government and has been promoted.
- However, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his immediate disengagement from office and also queried the Head of Service over his reinstatement.
- The EFCC stormed a mansion in Abuja belonging to Maina, who is till on its wanted list.
- Winifred, Oyo-Ita, head of service also denied any complicity in the reinstatement of Maina.
- The EFCC recently sealed four houses and 2 companies belonging to Maina.
Jonathan’s reaction:
While speaking through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan said;
- The claim is ridiculous.
- He left lower two years ago and could not have reinstated a fugitive.
He said, “It is ridiculous to say that Jonathan’s loyalists brought Maina back into service. Is it his loyalists that are in government? Somebody who has left office over two years, his loyalists still brought in a fugitive to power? It is laughable.
“Is it his loyalists that also promoted him and made him an acting director from the position of an assistant director? These are the questions they should answer.
“It is funny. It doesn’t make any sense. Is it Jonathan’s men that reinstated him into office, wrote a letter to him and asked him to return to work?
“This was a fugitive that ran away from Jonathan’s government and it was Jonathan’s men who also put him in office? Someone who ran from the law? It doesn’t make sense.”
Nigeria does not no what to say or talk about..everyday story upon story..what’s why forward..let come together nd make our nation’ Nigeria to be a better place for us to live..nd all our law makers tinx about themselves..noffin consine them about there xo called Nigeria..God we heal us.
In the history of my life, I never see a like buhari and part like APC , that stay for a minute without Lie’s and propaganda’s.
who else in Nigeria that does not know that federal govt led by APC or APC as a party is a govt full of lies and accusation? we are all waiting 2019, I think their so called Messiah saint buhari has proven to us who he is! do they still have another saint that will be d Messiah?