Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian leader has described as ridiculous allegations by the Presidency that government officials loyal to him reinstated ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Buhari’s media aide, Garba Shehu on Wednesday had said some officials who were still loyal to the former president facilitated Maina’s return.
Maina was dismissed in 2013 by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
He was accused of massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion. He sued the Senate, after the upper chamber issued an arrest warrant against him.
Jonathan, who spoke through his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, said the claim is ridiculous, adding that he left over two years ago and could not have reinstated a fugitive.
“It is ridiculous to say that Jonathan’s loyalists brought Maina back into service. Is it his loyalists that are in government? Somebody who has left office over two years, his loyalists still brought in a fugitive to power? It is laughable.
“Is it his loyalists that also promoted him and made him an acting director from the position of an assistant director? These are the questions they should answer.
“It is funny. It doesn’t make any sense. Is it Jonathan’s men that reinstated him into office, wrote a letter to him and asked him to return to work?
“This was a fugitive that ran away from Jonathan’s government and it was Jonathan’s men who also put him in office? Someone who ran from the law? It doesn’t make sense.”
