A supposed member of the pension
task team of Abdulrasheed Maina on Thursday disrupted the house of representatives
hearing on his controversial reinstatement into the civil service.
Maina, former chairman, Pension
Reform Task Team, was accused of being involved in pension fraud running into
billions.
The “task team” member, sporting
a face cap, stood abruptly during the proceedings on Thursday and said: “We are
not being treated fairly in this matter. We are saying no.
“We cannot be stampeded. How will
you not give everybody chance to discuss and talk? That was what happened in
the senate in 2012 and we will resist it. Give us chance please, give us
chance.”
Chorus of “who are you?” emanated
from the audience to which he replied “task team”.
Aliyu Madaki, chairman of the
committee, denied him a chance to speak.
“This is the parliament, we sent
invitations. Maina sent someone who is here to speak for him. Please, we do not
encourage rented crowd coming here to shout on behalf of anybody. What we are
doing is a serious business,” Madaki said.
Madaki instead called on Mohammed
Katu, counsel to Maina, to speak in his stead.
After taking the floor, Katu
opposed the position of Winifred Oyo-Ita, head of service, that Maina was not
reinstated.
“It is because of the zeal to
bring the fact here before this panel that is why this is coming on. In
essence, the issue of payment of salaries and reinstatement of Maina is
important to his position as well,” Katu said.
“And that is why we want to
reinstate categorically that the issue of his dismissal was because of the
senate’s warrant of arrest. The warrant of arrest necessitated his going to
court and the court gave a judgement.
“The judgement set aside the
query that led to his dismissal and having set aside the query, the pointer is
what should be his status? He has been reinstated to his earlier position.
“And in reinstating him to his
earlier position, it means that you take him back to the status which he ought to
have been if you had not dismissed him, and what is that status? His salaries
and arrears should be calculated and be paid to him.”
The house of representatives is
investigating the circumstances surrounding the reinstatement of Maina into the
civil service.
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