Quarrel in Aso Rock: Kyari Confronts Oyo-Ita over Leaked Memo on Maina
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, Wednesday had an altercation with the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, over her response to a presidential query on the secret reinstatement of former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, which was leaked to the press.
The incident happened shortly before the swearing-in of the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
It all started when the Chief of Staff engaged the Head of Service immediately she arrived the council chambers and sat on her seat next to him. Kyari took up the issue of the leaked memo with her, but she became uncomfortable with his enquiries.
The visibly angry Head of Service told the Chief of Staff that “I have reached the peak of my career in the civil service. I am not an elected official of government.”
Her angry reaction was witnessed by all those who were in the Council Chambers for the swearing-in of the new Secretary to the Government or the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the launch of the 2018 armed forces emblem.
Many Council members were also in the hall for the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari were seen questioning Oyo-Ita, shortly before the commencement of the event which started at 10:55am.
Oyo-Ita, who has never lost her cool in the public, was seen angrily gesticulating while trying to make her point in what was obviously a heated argument with Kyari.
The Head of Service went back to her seat and then rose again and headed straight to Osinbajo, who also engaged her in a tête-a-tete over the issue.
The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, later joined the conversation after which the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation was seen calming the Head of Service.
She was later asked to return to her seat by the Deputy Chief of Staff Femi Ipaye, when it was now obvious all eyes were fixed on them.
The drama, which lasted about 10 minutes, was witnessed by Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Chief of justice of the federation, Walter Onnoghen, the Governor of Adamawa, Jibrila Bindu, All Progressives Congress National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, chief of defence staff, service chiefs, Inspector General of Police and other heads of paramilitary service among others.
A national daily had quoted Oyo-Ita, in the leaked memo, as saying that Buhari was aware of the reinstatement of the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Oyo-Ita was also quoted to have stated that she had warned the president against the controversial recall of the embattled former pension boss.
President Buhari had ordered last week the immediate disengagement of former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina.
Maina was in 2013 recommended for dismissal by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
In 2012, Maina was accused of leading a massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.
He was drafted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2010 to sanitize a corrupt pension system.
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