The Senate on Wednesday gave President Goodluck Jonathan a
two-day ultimatum within which to sack the Chairman of the Pension Reform
Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, from the Federal Civil Service.
two-day ultimatum within which to sack the Chairman of the Pension Reform
Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, from the Federal Civil Service.
The upper legislative chamber said Jonathan risked dire
consequences if he failed to end Maina’s stay in office.
consequences if he failed to end Maina’s stay in office.
Senate President, David Mark, said this after a debate on a
motion entitled, “Dismissal of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for refusal to appear
before the Senate.”
motion entitled, “Dismissal of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for refusal to appear
before the Senate.”
The debate was sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Victor
Ndoma-Egba (SAN), and 107 senators, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to sack
Maina from the public service. The Senate has 109 members.
Ndoma-Egba (SAN), and 107 senators, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to sack
Maina from the public service. The Senate has 109 members.
Reacting to the Senate resolution on Wednesday, the PRTT said only
God would save Nigeria.
God would save Nigeria.
“Maina has never committed any offence to deserve this high
level of persecution, even if he is an Assistant Director. We have done this
assignment in the best interest of this country with all sincerity and honesty.
It is only God that will save Nigeria,” spokesperson for the PRRT, Hassan
Salihu, said.
level of persecution, even if he is an Assistant Director. We have done this
assignment in the best interest of this country with all sincerity and honesty.
It is only God that will save Nigeria,” spokesperson for the PRRT, Hassan
Salihu, said.
According to Mark, the Senate as an institution has been pushed
to the wall and can no longer tolerate the insolence of public officials
working for the executive.
to the wall and can no longer tolerate the insolence of public officials
working for the executive.
Mark said, “The executive has to choose between the Senate and
Maina. He has crucified himself. If Maina remains, then the Senate would react
appropriately.
Maina. He has crucified himself. If Maina remains, then the Senate would react
appropriately.
“The Senate is not lacking in ideas on what to do. Nobody in
this country is bigger than our democracy. I have been extremely patient with
Maina, so that when we react, they will know that we have been fair.
this country is bigger than our democracy. I have been extremely patient with
Maina, so that when we react, they will know that we have been fair.
“Whether the Police are serious about (arresting) Maina is
something we are going to find out. This Senate is not going to allow this to
linger on, if in two days they have not done anything, we can come here and
convene and take a decision.
something we are going to find out. This Senate is not going to allow this to
linger on, if in two days they have not done anything, we can come here and
convene and take a decision.
“This Senate has teeth to bite, the Senate will bite when it
needs to bite; and when we decide to bite, there will be no room for escape.
needs to bite; and when we decide to bite, there will be no room for escape.
“We have been pushed to the wall. The reaction is the correct
reaction, no matter the depth of the Maina situation, nobody in this country
will be left to go free, if he is associated with Maina, no matter who is
behind Maina, we are not going to accept it.”
reaction, no matter the depth of the Maina situation, nobody in this country
will be left to go free, if he is associated with Maina, no matter who is
behind Maina, we are not going to accept it.”
The Senate also resolved to summon the Inspector General of
Police, Mohammed Abubakar, for failing to carry out an earlier order for
Maina’s arrest as contained in a warrant of arrest duly signed and issued by
the President of the Senate.
Police, Mohammed Abubakar, for failing to carry out an earlier order for
Maina’s arrest as contained in a warrant of arrest duly signed and issued by
the President of the Senate.
Resolutions passed by the Senate read: “That Mr. Abdulrasheed
Maina be dismissed from the Public Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
immediately and be disengaged from all acts relating to public duty.
Maina be dismissed from the Public Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
immediately and be disengaged from all acts relating to public duty.
“That the Inspector General of Police appears before the Senate
Committee on Police Affairs to give reasons why he did not act on the warrant
issued by the President of the Senate.
Committee on Police Affairs to give reasons why he did not act on the warrant
issued by the President of the Senate.
“That Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina be investigated and prosecuted.”
Mark, who presided over the session, recounted his experiences
with Maina after several efforts made to make him appear before the Joint
Committee of the Senate investigating pension administration in Nigeria.
with Maina after several efforts made to make him appear before the Joint
Committee of the Senate investigating pension administration in Nigeria.
The President of the Senate said Maina had been given enough
time to defend himself, but he had instead used the time to crucify himself.
time to defend himself, but he had instead used the time to crucify himself.
While presenting the motion, Ndoma-Egba said that all senators
with the exception of the President of the Senate had signed in support of the
motion.
with the exception of the President of the Senate had signed in support of the
motion.
He noted that after considering earlier observations of the
joint committee with respect to the refusal of Maina, the Acting Director of
Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pensions Office, to appear before the
committee to account for the administration of and management of CIPPO, the
Senate directed that the joint committee continue and conclude investigation as
well as invoke all legal and constitutional powers of the Senate in pursuance
of the task.
joint committee with respect to the refusal of Maina, the Acting Director of
Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pensions Office, to appear before the
committee to account for the administration of and management of CIPPO, the
Senate directed that the joint committee continue and conclude investigation as
well as invoke all legal and constitutional powers of the Senate in pursuance
of the task.
He said the committee after sitting for seven days, invited
Maina in line with its constitutional powers to appear before it to give
account of his tenure as well as the management of pension funds, but that
Maina, had on all occasions neglected and refused to honour the invitation.
Maina in line with its constitutional powers to appear before it to give
account of his tenure as well as the management of pension funds, but that
Maina, had on all occasions neglected and refused to honour the invitation.
The Senate Leader, further said. “That after several sittings of
the joint committee without the attendance of Mr. Maina despite proper
invitation, the joint committee was constrained to request that the President
of the Senate invoke the powers of the Senate to compel his attendance.
the joint committee without the attendance of Mr. Maina despite proper
invitation, the joint committee was constrained to request that the President
of the Senate invoke the powers of the Senate to compel his attendance.
However, “The Inspector General of Police has refused to
honour and execute the warrant to compel the attendance of Mr. Maina as issued
by the hand of the president of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
honour and execute the warrant to compel the attendance of Mr. Maina as issued
by the hand of the president of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Commenting on the issue, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike
Ekweremadu, said it was disheartening that the Senate would be spending its
precious time to debate on the dismissal of Maina who had allegedly shown so
much disrespect to the Senate as an institution.
Ekweremadu, said it was disheartening that the Senate would be spending its
precious time to debate on the dismissal of Maina who had allegedly shown so
much disrespect to the Senate as an institution.
“We have been pushed to the wall. We will not allow this kind of
disrespect to the institution. It is our spiritual duty to cleanse our society
of people like Maina. We should not only ensure that he is dismissed, but he
should be punished,” he said.
disrespect to the institution. It is our spiritual duty to cleanse our society
of people like Maina. We should not only ensure that he is dismissed, but he
should be punished,” he said.
In his contribution to the debate, Senator Sola Adeyeye said the
conduct of Maina was so appalling to the extent of undermining the
Constitution, noting that the act was punishable as well as treasonable.
conduct of Maina was so appalling to the extent of undermining the
Constitution, noting that the act was punishable as well as treasonable.
Earlier, the Chairman and the Co-Chairman of the Joint
committee, Senators Aloysius Etok and Kabiru Gaya, gave accounts of their
experiences with Maina.
committee, Senators Aloysius Etok and Kabiru Gaya, gave accounts of their
experiences with Maina.
Gaya said the committee received 7,800 petitions during its
assignment and that Maina coordinated the process of mismanaging pension funds.
assignment and that Maina coordinated the process of mismanaging pension funds.
Etok noted that Maina refused to join the committee on the tour
of the states during the investigations to hear what pensioners had to say
against him.
of the states during the investigations to hear what pensioners had to say
against him.
“We called him to account for his stewardship in all the offices
he was overseeing. When we exposed some things, he decided not to appear again.
Instead of appearing before the committee, he would go on the media, condemning
the entire Senate.
he was overseeing. When we exposed some things, he decided not to appear again.
Instead of appearing before the committee, he would go on the media, condemning
the entire Senate.
“He said he was not given fair hearing, but when we offered him
fair hearing, he refused. He drives two bulletproof cars, in a country where
pensioners are hungry. He used N1bn for jamboree in the name of verification
abroad. He spends more than N8m every two weeks on personal security,” Etok
said.
fair hearing, he refused. He drives two bulletproof cars, in a country where
pensioners are hungry. He used N1bn for jamboree in the name of verification
abroad. He spends more than N8m every two weeks on personal security,” Etok
said.
Source: Punch
