Mainagate: Group accuses Jonathan govt of frame-up

President Mohammadu Buhari has been asked to give the embattled former Chairman, Presidential committee on Pension Reform Taskforce Team (PPRT) under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, protection to tell Nigerians the truth about the pension scam.
The Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, under the umbrella body of Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday on the re-instatement and disengagement of Maina from the civil service,? commended the prompt reaction of President Buhari, whose action in disengaging Mr. Maina doused tension.
Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, National Coordinator of the coalition, who also spoke on the effort of the President towards eradicating corruption in Nigeria, said as a civil society body in Nigeria, the group would stand with the President to ensure a corruption-free Nigeria.
Okpokwu said: “We have observed with kin interest the position of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is the chief law officer of Nigeria. We have equally seen the position of the Nigerian Senate, the People’s Democratic Party, The All Progressive Congress, the League of African Development Students as well as the civil service rule.
“We urge Nigerians not to panic, and advice actors of blame game to maintain caution as the truth is gradually unfolding.”
On the recoveries of stolen pension fund by the PRTT, which the pension body gave the figure as N200 billion, the group said: “Where is this fund? Is it in the federation account or where? Mr Maina insisted that the money is in the federation account, which both the past and present administrations have not disputed.
“We also believe that with the testimony of Sen Kabiru Gaya who said the N195 billion Maina was accused of stealing by the senate joint probe on pension fund is in the federation account. Further accusation of the person of Mr Maina in that light shows that somebody is after Abdulrasheed Maina, especially with the sponsored media war on his person instead of the entire committee.
“Moreover, the N2.1 billion biometric exercise which Maina was accused of mismanaging alongside Orosanye, the former head of service of the federation, has long be settled as the law court discharged and acquitted the former head of service.
“This is based on the fact that the biometric captured the 774 Local government Areas in Nigeria.”
|The Nation