With Uche Nnadozie
Everything the governemnt has done to show it is taming corruption appear to have momentarily crumbled at the feet of the Abdulrasheed Maina affair. Maina, a top civil servant was appointed chairman of an adhoc presidential taskforce on pension reforms by the office of the head of service of the federation sometime dring president Goodluck Jonathan’s early days. The man claims to have recovered over N180 billion of unaccounted pension funds, but in the process, he got entangled in a web which he constructed. The sweet smelling billions became his albatross and his hands were allegedly soiled. Some say he personally misappropriated nearly N3 billion. He was also accused of taking care of a number of other senior civil servants, politicians, bankers and security personnel.
The last time we heard about this man was when he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. That was in 2015. In fact cases had been filed in court. Prior to this government, there were some criminal proceedings preffered against him. He equally sought and got the court’s nod to prevent his arrest, that was in 2013. Between 2013 and now, he has been away from work. He has not been at his duty post, he absconded from work and arrest. He fled Nigeria. So you can understand the trauma of citizens to now in 2017 read that the same man has not only sneaked into Nigeria but (officially) got his job back. As if those were not enough, was promoted as a deputy director from the assistant director postion he held; meanwhile he never wrote any promotional examination as is customary for such elevation. To add salt to injury he named an acting director after he was posted to head the human resource department of the Ministry of Interior.
Ministry of the interior is in charge of the police, immigration, prison, civil defence, etc. Human Resource Department is responsible for staff welfare, promotion, discipline, training et al, in both the ministry and oversees same in all agencies under the ministry’s supervision. The impunity of it all is what baffles me. It is such a shame that in a government which came to halt impunity which was rampant in the country is the same government that facilitated this sort of blatant impunity and disrespect on Nigerians. How do you bring yourself to appreciate the enormity of the gaffe this whole drama is? A government that rose to power on the back of its stance against corruption has officials of the same goverment paving the way for one of the most wanted (alleged) conmen to return to office to continue the pillage? This simply is an admission that those who did this have no respect for President Muhammadu Buhari. They do not care, and indeed see Nigerians as their footstools. This is pathetic.
The whole drama was so choreographed that every puzzle fell into place. The man returned, immigration which is under ministry of interior did not know. EFCC which had declared him wanted kept mute maybe because EFCC is under the supervision of the Attorney General who wrote the legal advise that led to Maina’s recall. To think that the Minister of Justice is the same person who is supposed to ensure justice in this case but who did not take steps to vacate whatever court orders there were baffles me. The sordid affair is such that you will expect heads to have rolled, but no! These men still occupy their offices. It doesnt seem anything will happen to them. Apart from the swift sack of Maina by the president, the matter appears to have been buried by President Buhari. But why?
Why is the president not treating matters relating to impunity within his government (I mean his appointees) with the seriousness it deserves? Why has the president refused to deal with corruption allegations, collusion and conspiracy among his appointees the same way he seems to deal with folks outside his government? Does it then mean that President Buhari is not capable of looking his men and women in the face? This is not what I voted for. This kind of allegation against the president is gaining ground. There is a long list of such examples since the inception of this regime. Everything done by Minister Abubakar Malami is fraught with collusion and conspiracy. His legal advise appear skewed in favour of a fugitive, yet he retains his seat even after the president queried the head of service, its almost a week since she replied the querry yet no word from the president.
This presidential likeness for not taking decisions over reports submitted to it is shameful. This kind of behaviour encourages impunity and that is why impunity has returned as a major problem even under the Change government. The president’s protection or impotence in taking decisions against his appointees even where they are in error is mind boggling. It is imperative that no one blames the so-called ‘cabal’ for this sloppiness. The president is the one that wants it this way. But we can no longer continue like this. Those who know the president should begin to speak up against matters like this. It is all the more painful because of the disrespect that Nigerians are shown. No attempt to inform us on these pending issues, when they find time to do, a Shehu Garba is unleashed on us.
The presidential spokesperson’s comment that it is Jonathan and PDP people that brought Maina back is ludicrous. There is nothing we will not hear from this government. When the facts are out there in the open for all to see that the fugitive was brought back, reabsorbed, posted and protected by Buhari’s henchmen? This Garba’s statement, the incoherence from government officials and the president’s inability to act on the query replied by the HOS are such a mess that has shown the presidency for what it is: a chaotic house of horror!
