Malami won't speak on ex-pension chief until he's cleared by Buhari

Under fire Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has broken his silence on the controversial reinstatement and promotion of Abdulrasheed Maina.

The wanted former chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms (PTTPR), was recalled and promoted to head the Ministry of Interior's human resource department, despite pending corruption charges against him.

Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and AGF Malami have been reported to be instrumental to the process of Maina's recall.

While Dambazau and Oyo-Ita have publicly distanced themselves from the scandal through press statements, AGF Malami has remained notably silent.

While speaking to Vanguard on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, he said he'll wait to get clearance from President Muhammadu Buhari before he'll make any public comments on the matter.

While he also asked Nigerians to wait for his side of his story when he appears before the Senate, he maintained that he would not be involved in anything that breaches the country's laws.

Describing the issue as a "grand conspiracy and mischief", AGF Malami told Vanguard, "I am a legal practitioner, who is always guided by law and public interest and will therefore not do anything that deviates from the law or breaches public interest.

"I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know the truth in the entire saga and I am ready to speak directly to them when I appear before the Senate since I have been summoned by the legislature, which is investigating the matter.

"I will not however talk until I get clearance from my principal on the matter and I look forward to addressing anxious Nigerians on the matter when I appear before the Senators."

ALSO READ: Senate sets up committee to probe Maina's reinstatement

On Monday, October 23, President Buhari ordered Maina's 'disengagement' from service and ordered a full investigation into the circumstances of his recall.

During plenary sessions on Tuesday, the Senate and House of Representatives also set up separate ad-hoc committees to investigate the issue.