The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been accused of ordering the reinstatement of the wanted former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina. President Buhari yesterday ordered the sack of Maina from the civil service after news broke that he had been reinstated.
According to the Nation, Abubakar Malami had in a letter dated September 18th, directed the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to reinstate Maina. It was also learnt that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, did not make any input into Maina’s reinstatement.
In fact, sources said, Mrs. Oyo-Ita advised against Maina’s recall, but she was overruled. Instead of allowing Mrs. Oyo-Ita to determine Maina’s fate, some top officials of the Ministry of Interior were made members of a committee which recommended his reinstatement. The officials were members of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior.
The details of who authorized Maina’s return were contained in a letter of reinstatement sent to the wanted officer by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC). The letter, signed by Mustapha L. Sulaiman for the FCSC chairman, indicated that the AGF advised the FCSC that Maina should be reinstated. The letter in part read “Kindly refer to the Attorney-General of the Federation/ Honourable Minister of Justice letter Ref. No. HAGF/FCSC/2017/ VOL. 1/3 dated 27th April 2017 requesting Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to give consequential effect to the judgment that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.
Further to the aforementioned letter, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) at its meeting held on 14th June, 2017 deliberated on the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF’s) letter and requested the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter FC.4029/82/VOL.III/160 of 21st June 2017 to advise the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior to consider the AGF’s letter, the Officer’s case and make appropriate recommendation to the Commission.
The OHCSF accordingly advised the Ministry of Interior to consider the matter. The Ministry of Interior at its Senior Staff Committee (SSC)’s meeting held on 22nd June, 2017 considered the disciplinary case against the Officer and the letter by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice seeking the reinstatement of the Officer as a Director (Administration), SGL. 17 in the Federal Civil Service. The Ministry of Interior’s Senior Staff Committee (SSC) deliberated on the case and recommended that Mr. Maina be reinstated into the service as Deputy Director. SGL. 16.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter Ref. No. HCSF/LU/ COR/ FCSC/749/III/ 135 dated 14th August 2017 forwarded the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to the FCSC for further necessary action. The FCSC at its meeting held on Wednesday, 16th August, 2017 considered the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior on the disciplinary case against Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, Deputy Director (Administration), Salary Grade Level 16.
The FCSC, thereafter, approved the reinstatement of the Officer into the Service with effect from 21st February, 2013(being the date he was earlier dismissed from Service). The FCSC also approved for the Officer to sit for the next promotion examination to the Post of Director (Administration), SGL. 17.” In the letter, which was sent also to Mrs Oyo-Ita, the FCSC only added a clause as follows:
“You are kindly requested to deliver the attached original letter to the Officer, please.” Giving insights into how Maina was reinstated, some top government sources said the “deal” was executed by the AGF, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the officials of the Ministry of Interior.
One of the government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said “The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation insisted that the reinstatement of Maina was absurd and illegal. She did not play any role in the entire process which led to the recall of the dismissed officer. In fact, she refused to add a sentence or a line to a memo routed through her office to the so-called Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior.
It is not within the mandate of the SSC to determine a grievous disciplinary case involving Maina.”
