There was drama inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja this morning as the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita and the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyar, engaged in an argument over the leaked memo written Oyo-Ita to President Buhari indicating that he, the president, was aware of the reinstatement of wanted former pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the civil service.

A memo that was published Punch yesterday, indicated that the Head of Service had warnedPresident Buhari of Maina’s reinstatement prior to last week Monday October 23rd, when the news of his reinstatement went viral.

According to reports, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had just before the swearing-in ceremony of the new SGF, Boss Mustapha, questioned both Oyo-Ita and Kyari on the released memo.

For about 10 minutes, both Oyo-Ita and Kyari in the presence of other senior government functionaries including Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Chief Justice of the Federation Walter Onnoghen; and others, exchanged some serious words. Oyo-Ita showed her anger gesticulating in an obvious effort to drum home her point in an argument with Kyari. She rose and sat again on her seat a couple of times before moving towards the Vice President to continue to make her case. She, however, returned to her seat after she was pacified the deputy Chief of Staff, Femi Ipaye. 

Maina’s secret reinstatement into the civil service on October 22nd, caused a lot of controversies. After much public outcry, President Buhari then ordered that Maina be disengaged from the service. President Buhari also called for a report to be sent to him on October 23rd on how Maina was reinstated. Oyo-Ita, however, reportedly indicted him in the report with claims that he, President Buhari, was aware of Maina’s reinstatement. She also accused Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Minister of Interior, Abdurahman Dambazau, of plotting Maina’s return to the civil service.