Presidency reverses Obono-Obla’s suspension

A week after being suspended from his post as Chairman of
Special Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property, the
Presidency has restored him to the post but with some changes to
his operational guidelines.

The restoration of Obono-Obla, who is also Buhari’s Senior
Special Assistant on Prosecution, to his post, followed last week’s
meeting between him and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo a day after he
was suspended by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami.

A top Presidential official confirmed to OUR REPORTER last night
that Buhari’s intervention and restoration of Obono-Obla to his
post followed the explanations by Osinbajo after getting briefings
from the presidential aide.

Obono-Obla to act on cases referred to him by Presidency,
AGF

The source, however, said Obono-Obla would, henceforth, operate
under the shadow of the Vice President, who would supervise the
work of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public
Property.

Other conditions, which Obono-Obla must adhere strictly with,
include: taking directives from the Presidency or the Office of the
Attorney-General of the Federation, working strictly on directives
or cases referred to him by the Presidency or the AGF and not
embarking on ‘expansionist’ search for materials to use under the
guise of recovery of public property.

“For Obono-Obla to operate effectively, he must bear in mind
that he cannot go outside the scope of what is given to him either
by the Presidency or the AGF and must abide by recovery issues
referred to him by the two offices,” the source explained.

Asked whether he was sacked or suspended in the first place and
what the offence was, the Presidency official, said: “I can confirm
to you that Obono-Obla has not been sacked. The only thing that
must be made clear to him is that he should not assume to be
operating on his own but to subject himself to the directives of
the AGF of the Presidency on whatever recovery he wants to embark
on.”

It will be recalled that when Malami suspended Obono-Obla from
his post last Sunday, he had accused him of running the
presidential panel contrary to the Act establishing it.

Obono-Obla was notified of his suspension via a letter dated
November 1 with file number, which was signed by the AGF.

In the letter marked HAGF/SH/2017/VOL/1/60, Malami maintained
that activities of the panel contravened established administrative
procedures and protocols in the nation’s civil service
structure.

He warned Obono-Obla to strictly comply with FG’s directive that
he should hands-off from further presiding over any activity in the
name of the panel.

Obono-Obla was also barred from further granting press
interviews without firstly securing permission to speak on any
official matter.

Malami’s letter said, “Obla is also instructed to henceforth
seek clearance from the AGF before granting any media interview or
making press releases on official matters, while he is directed to
promptly provide a detailed up-to-date report on the activities of
the panel to the Minister for onward transmission to the Vice
President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

The letter entitled, ‘RE: Directive In Respect of Chief Okoi
Obono-Obla, Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the
recovery of public property’, was said to be a follow-up to a
previous letter from the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
SAN.

According to the statement, Malami’s letter to Obono-Obla read:
“I have received a letter Ref. SH/OVP/DCOS/FMJ/0424 dated
20thOctober, 2017 in respect of the above subject from the Office
of the Vice President.

“In the said letter, the Vice President expressed his concerns
on the activities of the Special Investigation Panel on the
Recovery of Public Property which runs contrary to the enabling Act
establishing it. He also noted that the activities of the Panel run
foul or contrary to established administrative procedures and
protocols in the Federal Civil Service structure.

“In view of the foregoing coupled with the directives contained
in the letter under reference, you are hereby directed to refrain
from any further action or taking any step in your capacity as the
Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of
Public Property with immediate effect until directed otherwise by
His Excellency, the Vice President.

“While you are to await further instructions in respect of the
Panel’s mandate, you are hereby directed to promptly provide a
detailed up-to-date report on the activities of the Panel to the
undersigned for onward transmission to the Vice President.

“Furthermore, you are required to henceforth seek clearance from
the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice before granting any media interview or making press
releases on official matters.

A week after being suspended from his post as Chairman of
Special Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property, the
Presidency has restored him to the post but with some changes to
his operational guidelines.

The restoration of Obono-Obla, who is also Buhari’s Senior
Special Assistant on Prosecution, to his post, followed last week’s
meeting between him and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo a day after he
was suspended by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami.

A top Presidential official confirmed to OUR REPORTER last night
that Buhari’s intervention and restoration of Obono-Obla to his
post followed the explanations by Osinbajo after getting briefings
from the presidential aide.

Obono-Obla to act on cases referred to him by Presidency,
AGF

The source, however, said Obono-Obla would, henceforth, operate
under the shadow of the Vice President, who would supervise the
work of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public
Property.

Other conditions, which Obono-Obla must adhere strictly with,
include: taking directives from the Presidency or the Office of the
Attorney-General of the Federation, working strictly on directives
or cases referred to him by the Presidency or the AGF and not
embarking on ‘expansionist’ search for materials to use under the
guise of recovery of public property.

“For Obono-Obla to operate effectively, he must bear in mind
that he cannot go outside the scope of what is given to him either
by the Presidency or the AGF and must abide by recovery issues
referred to him by the two offices,” the source explained.

Asked whether he was sacked or suspended in the first place and
what the offence was, the Presidency official, said: “I can confirm
to you that Obono-Obla has not been sacked. The only thing that
must be made clear to him is that he should not assume to be
operating on his own but to subject himself to the directives of
the AGF of the Presidency on whatever recovery he wants to embark
on.”

It will be recalled that when Malami suspended Obono-Obla from
his post last Sunday, he had accused him of running the
presidential panel contrary to the Act establishing it.

Obono-Obla was notified of his suspension via a letter dated
November 1 with file number, which was signed by the AGF.

In the letter marked HAGF/SH/2017/VOL/1/60, Malami maintained
that activities of the panel contravened established administrative
procedures and protocols in the nation’s civil service
structure.

He warned Obono-Obla to strictly comply with FG’s directive that
he should hands-off from further presiding over any activity in the
name of the panel.

Obono-Obla was also barred from further granting press
interviews without firstly securing permission to speak on any
official matter.

Malami’s letter said, “Obla is also instructed to henceforth
seek clearance from the AGF before granting any media interview or
making press releases on official matters, while he is directed to
promptly provide a detailed up-to-date report on the activities of
the panel to the Minister for onward transmission to the Vice
President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

The letter entitled, ‘RE: Directive In Respect of Chief Okoi
Obono-Obla, Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the
recovery of public property’, was said to be a follow-up to a
previous letter from the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
SAN.

According to the statement, Malami’s letter to Obono-Obla read:
“I have received a letter Ref. SH/OVP/DCOS/FMJ/0424 dated
20thOctober, 2017 in respect of the above subject from the Office
of the Vice President.

“In the said letter, the Vice President expressed his concerns
on the activities of the Special Investigation Panel on the
Recovery of Public Property which runs contrary to the enabling Act
establishing it. He also noted that the activities of the Panel run
foul or contrary to established administrative procedures and
protocols in the Federal Civil Service structure.

“In view of the foregoing coupled with the directives contained
in the letter under reference, you are hereby directed to refrain
from any further action or taking any step in your capacity as the
Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of
Public Property with immediate effect until directed otherwise by
His Excellency, the Vice President.

“While you are to await further instructions in respect of the
Panel’s mandate, you are hereby directed to promptly provide a
detailed up-to-date report on the activities of the Panel to the
undersigned for onward transmission to the Vice President.

“Furthermore, you are required to henceforth seek clearance from
the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice before granting any media interview or making press
releases on official matters.