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The House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday concurred with the Senate on its resolutions requesting the dismissal of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT).
The Senate on Feb. 13, passed resolutions requesting that Maina be dismissed from the public service and be disengaged from all acts relating to the public.
It also requested the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, to appear before the Committee on Police Affairs to give reasons why he did not act on the warrant issued by the Senate.
It further requested that Maina be investigated and prosecuted.
This resolution emanated from a motion moved by Rep. Albert Sam-Tsokwa ( PDP-Taraba) which was unanimously adopted.
Leading the debate, Sam-Tsokwa said that there was a need to present a common front with respect to the institutional integrity of the National Assembly.
He said that the step taken by the house would send a strong signal to the executive arm of the government to stop impunity and disregard to due process in the conduct of government business.
According to him, it is a constitutional responsibility that the matter passes through the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“Maina has been having running battle with the Senate on the issue of pension,” he said.
Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN-Lagos) who supported the motion, said that the house was not seeking to usurp the functions of the executive by requesting the sack of Maina, but asking it to act.
Rep. Aminu Sulieman ( PDP-Kano) noted that Maina was being protected and shielded from arrest by people in high places in the country.
Rep. Abike Dabiri ( ACN-Lagos) said that the joint resolution of the National Assembly should send a message to the executive arm of government.
Rep. Forte Dike (PDP- Anambra) said that the legislature was constitutionally empowered to do what it was doing concerning Maina.
He said that it was the duty of the legislature to check the dictatorial tendencies of any government.
Rep. Samson Osagie (ACN-Edo) alleged that the executive arm of government had continued to ignore the resolutions of the National Assembly even when the staff of affected organisations had protested against their management.
Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers) who spoke against the motion, said that the house should not be in a haste in concurring with the resolutions of the senate.
The house also mandated its committees on works and FERMA to investigate the award of contract for the repairs of Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway if it conformed with the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
This was sequel to a motion moved by Rep. Bimbo Daramola (ACN-Ekiti) which was adopted without debate.
According to Daramola, if the contractors do not improve on the tempo and quality of the work once the rainy season sets in these may further draw back the performance of the contract.
He said that the award of contract for repairs of the same road by both FERMA and its parent Ministry of Works could amount to abuse of public Procurement Act and waste of public funds.
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal in his ruling called on the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Maina and ensure that the resolutions of the Senate were duly complied with.
He said that corruption should not be fought with selective processes.
“We cannot be fighting corruption and condoning corruption, those of us in high positions should not be seen to condone corruption,” he said.
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