NNPC’s $25bn Scandal: PDP Demands Baru’s Probe, Suspension

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock at what it described as “the loud silence” of President Muhammadu Buhari on the humongous corruption scandal and other illegalities currently trailing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in which the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru are the dramatis personae.

Accordingly, the opposition Party has demanded an immediate suspension of the NNPC GMD so that proper investigation can be carried out by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.

The PDP said the $25 billion involved in the allegations is utterly scandalous, stressing that less than 10 per cent percent of the amount ($2 billion) is involved in the so-called arms funds allegedly converted by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki for which hundreds of Nigerians have been arrested and hounded.

The Party also said it expected President Buhari, who prides himself as an indefatigable corruption fighter, would for once try to live above board, by genuinely allowing one of his own, accused of corruption, get properly investigated and prosecuted as a show of his impartiality in the war against corruption.

PDP’s position was contained in a statement by the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye in which it urged Buhari to correct the open impression Nigerians have about his so-called anti-corruption war that is just a tool of persecution of perceived enemies.

The PDP said that it views the allegations levelled against Baru by Kachikwu as too grave to be swept under the carpet and therefore insisted the NNPC GMD must be treated like an accused who should not have the opportunity to influence investigation into his alleged misdeeds.

Adeyeye further said; “In this light, we demand an immediate suspension of the NNPC GMD so that proper investigation can be carried out by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.

“Nigerians can now see the hypocrisy in the so called anti-corruption fight. We may as well say that the privileged class of APC members enjoys total immunity from the anti-corruption campaign.

“Tired of this double-faced corruptions fight and cover ups, we demand an immediate commencement of investigation into this latest exposed sleaze by another of President Buhari’s men.

“We have been saying this for months that the looting of the nation’s resources under this administration is record setting in the history of this nation and we are being proven right on daily basis by the little revelations that are being made by even those working under the administration.

“We wonder what the stench will be when the real and hidden atrocities being perpetrated under the watch of President Buhari are finally exposed when Nigerians throw the APC government out of power in 2019.

“The sum of $25 Billion said to have been the subject of the latest controversy, when converted to Naira is about N9 Trillion, a sum that is bigger than the nation’s annual budget. This we find, is one of the very many reasons, the nation’s economy has nosedived under the inept administration of the APC.

“The allegations raised by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources is a confirmation of our earlier stance that the APC administration is in tatters, an administration without coordination, but one planted firmly in the hands of a few cabal who are stealing the nation dry while the President continues to feign ignorance of the sickening stench.

“If not, how on earth can President Muhammadu Buhari justify a situation where a minister he appointed to serve under him, presiding over an important sector like the oil sector be turned to a mere house-help who must get clearance from some “outsiders” before accessing the president?

“How on earth will a mere MD of a corporation have the temerity to sideline a minister under whom he works and take decisions without consultation with the appropriate authority.

“How on earth could the NNPC GMD have been bold enough to sideline the entire board of NNPC and take such far reaching decisions that have grave implications on the nation’s economy alone?

“We suspect and our suspicion is reinforced by the unfolding events that powerful people at the corridors of power are tacitly involved in this. If the President’s powerful Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari could sit on the NNPC board and such a calamity is taking place without an eyelid being blinked, we are forced to believe that the stealing is being done to the advantage of the president who has shown by his body language that the only thing that matter most to him for now, is his second term ambition.

“Will it be considered a “hate speech” if we say the money being stolen by President Buhari’s men are being kept aside into a special pool for the prosecution of his second term ambition?

“We challenge the president to prove us wrong by allowing his allies being caught up in acts of brazen stealing of our commonwealth, get punished in accordance with the laws of the land. Anything aside this, we will take as confirmation of our suspicion that the rottenness is from the very top.

“We demand as bonafide Nigerians, an express order from President Muhammadu Buhari to the NNPC GMD asking him to go on compulsory leave so that investigation into the matter at stake can be conducted without interference.

“We also demand an order from the President to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to immediately commence investigation into all issues of corruption levelled against Baru, as well as other persons who might have overtly or covertly participated in the illegal act.

“Much as we commend the National Assembly for indicating interest in probing the allegations against the NNPC GMD as approved in the adoption of the motion moved by Senator Samuel Anyanwu at the Wednesday plenary, we wish to appeal to the leadership of the Senate to prevail on the Ad-hoc committee set up for the purpose of the investigation, to make their sitting open to all Nigerians so that nothing will be surreptitiously swept under the carpet.”

The PDP reiterated its support for the drive to eliminate corruption from the workings of the Nigerian government, adding however that it holds firmly to its stance that the APC Government under President Buhari must lead and live by example.

It also expressed its opposition to granting of soft landing to corruption and corrupt members of the APC government just as it said no to what it described as “double standard” in the fight against corruption.