WARRI-A rights organization has tasked Senator Aliyu Wamako led-Senate ad hoc committee to stand on their ground and redeem their image by thoroughly investigate the $25b NNPC fraud, adding that the Senate is the only hope that can save Nigeria from the mess the Nigeria is going through where contracts were awarded by the agency without due process.
National President of the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FOHURAC) Alaowei E. Cleric, Esq, made the call in a press statement said ‘‘Senator Aliyu Wamako led-Senate ad hoc committee to stand on their ground and redeem their image by thoroughly investigate the $25b NNPC fraud. The Senate is the only hope that can save Nigeria from this mess.
‘‘The National Assembly should also look into the allegations and counter-allegations against Kachukwu and Baru. The issues raised bother on impeachable offences. Dr. Baru in his reply to Kachukwu’s letter claimed that the contracts he awarded got the approval of the President. President Buhari has repeatedly said his Government is dedicated to fight corruption. Now is the time for Mr. President to prove to his traducers that he is fighting corruption. The world is watching, while Nigerians are keenly following the fold events.
‘‘We have been saying that the Buhari vaunted anti-corruption war is a smokescreen. While Col. Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser to President Jonathan has been held incommunicado even against Courts judgments over $2b arms deal money, Buhari cannot afford to be synical to the $25b allegation against the GMD of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu. We are not comfortable with the yet-to-be refuted news that the Senate Ad Hoc Committee set up to investigate the allegation has been prevailed by the Presidency to rescind the planned investigation.
‘‘Is Buhari really fighting corruption? When the allegation of N270m contract scam hit his suspended SGF, Mr. David Babachir Lawal, he swept the Presidential report about the scam under carpet. Also the N500m bribery scandal against his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the various allegations against the Acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu were all thrown overboard yet Buhari is boasting his vain ego that he is fighting corruption. Is corruption only synonymous with his political rivals?’’ the group asked.
Continuing ‘‘We are calling on people of goodwill; especially the Senator Aliyu Wamako led-Senate ad hoc committee to stand on their ground and redeem their image by thoroughly investigate the $25b NNPC fraud. The Senate is the only hope that can save Nigeria from this mess. The National Assembly should also look into the allegations and counter-allegations against Kachukwu and Baru. The issues raised bother on impeachable offences. Dr. Baru in his reply to Kachukwu’s letter claimed that the contracts he awarded got the approval of the President. However, the Vice President who was the Acting President at the time said he only approved financial loans and not contracts.
‘‘On a closer perusal of the whole scenario, we can deduce that the voice of Jacob was heard crying in Nigeria, while the hands of Esau was operating from the UK. The National Assembly must set up a committee to unearth the mystery behind the NNPC transaction. The person who performed the function of the President to approve the contracts for Dr. Baru should be exposed to Nigerians.
‘‘We use this medium to renew our call on President Buhari to retrace his steps. As a President, Nigeria is a single constituency. Dividing the Country on a voting ratios cannot help the Country to grow. His 97% and 5% voting ratios developmental policies only help to polarise the Country. He cannot preach one Nigeria, while he considered some Nigerians as people deserving less Government attention for given him 5% votes.
‘‘The recent revelation by the World Bank President that Buhari directed her to concentrate development on the North only cannot help us as a Country. Buhari should not blame those who seek to dismember the Country. His exclusion policies are the cause of the agitations for break up. Until the President changes his style of governance, the corporate unity of this Country is in grave danger’’ the statement said.
