From: Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Chief of to the President, Abba Kyari and Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, on Wednesday, embarked on fence-mending as they embraced warmly and smiled to the camera.
This was at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), by 11:00pm presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kyari and Oyo-Ita sat side-by-side during the council meeting.
Oyo-Ita, who stepped into the Council Chambers, went straight to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and exchange pleasantries and was all smiles and engaging in discussion when the Chief of Staff walked in.
They both embraced and were all smiles when cameras swooped on them, while council members clapped and hailed them.
They were both congratulated by the Vice President, National Security Advisers (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd), Permanent Secretary Jalal Arabi and the Permanent Secretary Ecological Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal, who is seating in for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Muatapha, who is said to be on an official assignment.
Oyo-Ita, had last week Wednesday, reacted in a very unusual manner at the Council Chambers apparently over her leaked memo to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Her reaction was witnessed by all those who were in the council chambers for the twin ceremony of the swearing-in of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the launch 2018 armed forces emblem.
Vice President and Chief of Staff were seen questioning Oyo-Ita, shortly before the commencement of the event last week.
The shocking drama which lasted about 10 minutes.
Oyo-Ita was seen angrily gesticulating while trying to make her point in what was obviously a heated argument with Kyari.
The Head of Service went back to her seat and then rose again and headed straight to Osinbajo, who also engaged her in discussion over the issue.
Monguno, had later joined the conversation after which the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation was seen calming the Head of Service.
She was later asked to return to her seat by the Deputy Chief of Staff Femi Ipaye, when it was now obvious all eyes were fixed on them.
A national daily had quoted Oyo-Ita, in the leaked memo, as saying that Buhari was aware of the reinstatement of the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Oyo-Ita was also quoted to have stated that she had warned the president against the controversial recall of the embattled former pension boss.
President Buhari ordered the immediate disengagement of former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina, 24 hours after Minister of Interior, Lt Gen (retd) Abdulrahman Dambazau, admitted that Maina, was posted to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.
Maina was in 2013 recommended for dismissal by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
In 2012, Maina was accused of leading a massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.
He was drafted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2010 to sanitize a corrupt pension system.
Based on the allegation of corruption, Mr. Maina was invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration.
The Press Secretary to the Minister of Interior, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, in a statement exonerated the minister as having a hand in the controversial posting, saying Maina was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.
Oyo-Ita, in compliance with President Buhari’s directive had submitted a report on Maina.