Dambazau, Oyo-Ita

Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s order that Abdulrasheed Maina, the erstwhile boss of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms be dismissed from the nation’s civil service, the blame game as to who authorised Maina’s reinstatement is raging.

The controversy and recent revelations over Maina’s recall have apparently, once again, exposed the frail relationship and discord within the current administration as the Head of Service (HoS), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita has accused the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dambazau of lying that her office sanctioned Maina’s posting.

Dambazau had on Sunday in a statement issued through his Press Secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo alleged that Maina was posted to his ministry by the Office of the Head of Service on an acting capacity to fill a vacancy following the retirement of the director heading the Human Resources Department in the ministry.

However, Mrs. Oyo-Ita in a statement issued by her Head of Media, Mohammed Manga said she neither approved Maina’s reinstatement nor his promotion to the rank of an acting director and posting to the Interior Ministry as Head of Human Resources.

“The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) wishes to inform the public that the reinstatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina never emanated from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

“Consequently, the purported reinstatement and posting by the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading,” Manga said in the statement.

Meanwhile, the nation’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intensified their manhunt for Maina whom it declared wanted following his indictment for allegedly misusing an estimated N100 Million from the pension funds of the country.

The commission on Monday raided two houses belonging to the fugitive ex-pension task force chief in Abuja and sealed them off following his dismissal from the country’s civil service.