Afenifere to Buhari: Maina’s case should not be swept under the carpet with any broom

Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, the erstwhile Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, is arrested and thoroughly prosecuted.

The group which expressed disappointment at the earlier reinstatement of Mr. Maina into the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) also demanded that the case should not be swept under with any broom under the carpet.

Yinka Odunmakin, the Publicity Secretary of the group made the disclosure shortly after its meeting held in Akure, the Ondo state capital on Tuesday.

Mr. Odunmakin who spoke to journalists said the sociopolitical group had resolve that the anti corruption mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government is selective and partial.

He expressed disappointment at the reinstatement of the Mr. Maina and also called on the president to nail those who conspired to recall him to office.

“We are asking that this issue of Maina should not be swept under the carpets with any broom.

“He must be arrested, prosecuted and all officials involved in his recall should be punished no matter the status or origin.

“The Maina-gate is an embarrassment for this government (APC)and the sordid development has created so much anger and angry reactions across the county.

“The Maina-gate and other associated tales of massive corruption under a regime that is fighting corruption is a confirmation of our position all along that most of the problems confronting Nigeria, including corruption, are systemic, structural and deep-rooted.”

The group lamented that the government refused to address the architecture of corruption in Nigeria stressing that this has further confirmed that the Buhari government is clueless.

“It is that architecture that has allowed that kind of reckless impunity that brought Maina back into office to happen at the time we are supposed to fight corruption.

“It is also this same architecture that allowed him to disappear into oblivion after the lead was blown of his presence within the system.

“We therefore state unequivocally that the Maina-gate has confirmed the fears that the present anti-corruption war is selective, and some people are given soft landing perhaps on their connection or possibly their origin.” it said.

Afenifere described any effort put in place by any administration to fix Nigeria and reduce corruption without restructuring as “a waste of time.

“We have to deal with the structures that allowed resources to be controlled at the centre; so that the sharing mentality that makes government money to look like free money that can be shared and stolen at will.

“We ask that the resources and power should be devolved to the federating units with all necessary accountable processes to ensure those managing resources at that level are accountable to the people.”

The group urged government to embrace productivity and desist from the sharing culture, warning that the status quo would continue to foster and breed corruption at alarming rates.

“People will continue to steal money with reckless abandon, and corruption will be treated with kid gloves while making example of few who probably are not in the good book of whoever is fighting corruption at that particular time” it said.

‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure