Senators at plenary, yesterday, described the chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) Abdulrasheed Maina, as a “liar, rascal and a criminal.” This was just as they accused those they described as godfathers in the executive of shielding the pension czar who have repeatedly snubbed legislative summons over allegations of embezzling pension funds to the tune of N195 billion.
Adopting three prayers of a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and 107 other Senators, the senators unanimously called on President Goodluck Jonathan to dismiss Maina from the public service and disengage him from all acts relating to public duty.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar was also asked to appear before the Committee on Police Affairs to explain his failure to effect the arrest of Maina after a prior arrest warrant.
Maina, an assistant director in the federal public service according to Senators is ferried in two bullet-proof Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs); escorted by 27 combined government security details; addresses press conferences and places syndicated paid advertorials without the consent of his permanent secretary and other superior officers in the service.
Leading the charge for immediate action against Maina, Senate President, David Mark explained that the upper chamber, till yesterday, had been patient so as to allow fair hearing in view of a deluge of pension theft petitions against Maina as well as his counter allegations of a N3 billion bribe demanded by the Senate Committee investigating him for fraud.
“We (Senate) have been pushed to the wall and the demand for Maina’s sack is the correct reaction” a visibly angry Mark stated at Wednesday’s plenary.