Provide Security for Maina to tell Nigerians the truth —CSOs

President Mohammadu Buhari has been urged to give the embattled former Chairman, Presidential committee on Pension Reform Taskforce Team (PORT), under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, security 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, on Friday, speaking on the reinstatement and disengagement of Maina from the civil service, commended the prompt reaction of President Buhari, whose action in disengaging Maina is to douse tension.

Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, National Coordinator of the Coalition also said the CSOs will stand with the effort of the President towards eradicating corruption in 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, and 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 magazine gave the figure at 200 billion Naira. 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 administration has not disputed.

We also believed that, with the testimony of Sen Kabiru Gaya who said the 195billion 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 some body is after Abdulrasheed Maina especially with the sponsored media war on his person instead of the entire committee.

“Moreover, the 2.1 billion Naira 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 took captured the 774 Local government Areas in Nigeria.

He further noted that “It is of interest to say that, immediately the Maina’s led PRTT was disbanded, the government created what is called Pension Transition Administration Department, PTAD. Soon the Maina’s biometric was discontinue as the PTAD spent 8 billion Naira for the same biometric exercise that was done with 2.1 billion Naira earlier.

“We wish to use this medium  to appeal to Mr President to look into the substance of the allegations and counter allegations by providing Mr Maina with adequate security and make Maina face the Nigeria public by telling his own side of the story.

“This we believe will expose all the corrupt leaders hiding under the absence of Mr Maina. It could be true that treasury looters are getting back at him to save their own heads.”