There was drama on Wednesday inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abiuja as the Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Abba Kyari, engaged in an argument over the leaked memo written by the HoS to President Muhammadu Buhari indicating that the president was aware of the reinstatement of the sacked Abdulrasheed Maina to the civil service.

Maina was the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms alleged to have looted pension funds before fleeing from the country rather than facing prosecution.

Both Oyo-Ita and Kyari had been present for the scheduled launch of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration 2018 Emblem and Appeal Fund as well as the swearing-in of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, when the confrontation took place.

A visibly angry HoS was apparently reacting to the circumstances surrounding the leaked memo when being questioned by both

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief of Staff shortly before the commencement of the events.

For about 10 minutes, there were exchanges between Oyo-Ita and Kyari in the presence of other senior government functionaries including Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Chief of justice of the Federation, Walter Onnoghen; the Governor of Adamawa, Jubrila Bindu, All Progressive Congress (APC) National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, heads of paramilitary services, among others.

The HoS showed her anger by gesticulating in an obvious effort to drum home her point in an argument with the CoS.

She rose and sat again on her seat a couple of times before moving towards the Vice President to continue to make her case.

Both the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, and the newly appointed SGF, Boss Mustapha, joined in the discussion apparently to calm frayed nerves.

Deputy Chief of Staff Femi Ipaye was also seen prevailing on her to return to her seat.

The memo in question had recently surfaced in the media indicating that she had resisted the reengagement of Maina because of the damage it could do to Buhari’s war on corruption.

According to the memo, she had made that point to the president.

Maina had in 2013 been recommended for dismissal by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service over his activities at the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms.

•Text courtesy of Nigerian Tribune.

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