The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the arrest and trial of Mr. Addulrasheed Maina.
The party also called for the immediate removal of the Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Danbazzau and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami.
In a statement yesterday by its spokesperson, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party accused Danbazzau and Malami of facilitating Maina’s illegal return to the civil service and the double promotion given to him.
“We, therefore demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Maina for his atrocities, arrest and prosecution of those who helped him return to the country and got restored to his duty post with promotion added.
“We also demand the immediate sack of the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who have been fingered in the illegal act of restoring Maina to office against good conscience”.
The statement added:, “With good conscience at fighting corruption, the PDP government then mandated the anti-corruption agencies to perform their constitutional duty. Maina fled, only to resurface in the country four months ago under the Buhari administration.
“As a party of good conscience, we wish to condemn in strongest terms the penchant of the administration of President Buhari for giving safe haven to known criminals while hoodwinking Nigerians that it’s fighting corruption.
“While we are growing fatigued shouting ourselves hoarse in protest against nepotism, a clear form of corruption under this administration which has been elevated to state craft, we are appalled that the reinforcement of financial corruption by this government might soon lead to the demise of this nation if the celestial does not intervene.
“We are worried that the APC administration seem to have grown thick skin to constructive criticism, otherwise, no sane government, in spite of the open condemnation the party has received from Nigerians over its shielding of criminals, will repeat another one as done in the case of Maina”.
The PDP queried the Civil Service rule relied upon in reinstating and promoting Maina, who the party said is a wanted criminal who had abandoned his duty post as an Assistant Director, to the position of a Director with all benefits attached.
Continuing, the PDP added, “We wish the APC government will tell Nigerians where and when, and under which court jurisdiction Maina was cleared of his criminal allegations of stealing, warranting his restoration to duty and getting rewarded with double promotion.
“It is reported that the fugitive has been rewarded with payment of bogus salary arrears amounting to N22 million, which he has reportedly collected upon approval and release by the Accountant General of the Federation.
“We dare the government of the day to deny this with verifiable evidences.
“We are shocked and sad as well that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with its viable network under the administration of the PDP, has suddenly lost steam to the point that it wasn’t aware of the entrance of a high class wanted criminal into the country until the media exposed it.
“Nigerians can see that the APC administration has taken the fire out of our security agencies like the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the likes”.
The opposition party also alleged complicity on the part of the security agencies in the way and manner Maina got back into the country and resumed work without being detected until the media exposed him.
“Nigerians will not forget in a hurry that the president Buhari administration has severally shown its commitment to protecting financial criminals who are willing to play ball and are known to be ardent supporters of the ruling party.
“It is on record that Ahmed Gambo Saleh as Registrar of the Supreme Court, was accused of stealing N2.2bn belonging to the Supreme Court and was caught red handed.
“Same Ahmed Gambo Saleh was initially arraigned but the case was almost immediately withdrawn and he was made Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC).
“Unexplainably, same Ahmed Gambo Saleh is now also the secretary of the committee monitoring corruption trials.
“Nigerians have not forgotten in a hurry how the so called corruption fighting government of President Buhari refused to allow the law take its course in the graft allegations involving suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.
“The government seems to have also buried without shame, the expose by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu on the illegal award of contracts running to over $25 billion by the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) who has told the world that he had the support of President Buhari in carrying out the heist.”
