- SERAP Calls For Baru’s Suspension, As Buhari Meets Kachikwu Today
By ‘Dotun Akintomide
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has on Thursday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of systematically using all sorts of stealing going on under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to save illegal money for the re-election bid of the president come 2019.
The party in making the allegations, also chided President Buhari and expressed shock over his “loud silence on the humongous corruption scandal and other illegalities currently being exposed at the nation’s cash cow, the NNPC, in which two of his henchmen, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, are the dramatis personae.”
The New Diplomat gathered the party at a press conference held by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, cautioned the president not to attempt any cover up of the issue of the NNPC alleged fraud, like the case of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, just because his men were involved.
According to the opposition party, there are clear indications by the action of the president towards this.
As a demonstration of his readiness to find a solution to the alleged criminality, the president was urged to ensure that the NNPC GMD is suspended to allow proper investigation into the alleged sleaze.
The PDP said the president should at least, for once, demonstrate an unbiased disposition to the anti-corruption war by allowing one of his own allies get properly investigated and possibly prosecuted for corruption if he wants Nigerians to believe in his anti-corruption stance.
According to the opposition party, the allegations against Baru are too grave to be swept under the carpets.
“As a political party, we expect that the president, 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.
“He should do this to correct the open impression Nigerians have about his so called anti-corruption war; that it’s just a tool of persecution of perceived enemies.
“We view the allegations leveled against Baru by Kachikwu as too grave to be swept under the carpet and we insist that the NNPC GMD must be treated like an accused who should not have the opportunity to influence investigation into his alleged misdeeds.
“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”.
Although President Buhari is scheduled to meet with Kachikwu today in Aso Rock, the Group Managing Director of NNPC has kept mum over the fraudulent allegations directed at him.
Kachikwu had in a letter addressed to the president titled, ‘Re: Matters of Insubordination and Lack of Adherence to Due Process Perpetuated by the GMD NNPC, Dr Baru’, alleged that the oil corporation awarded $25 billion contract without following due process.
He had also alleged that the $25 billion contract was struck without consulting the office of the minister of state for petroleum resources or the board of the corporation.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has however called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend Baru and refer the weighty allegations against him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
In a letter dated October 5, 2017 and signed by Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP executive director, said that, “The allegations by Dr. Kachikwu constitute grave breaches of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Act of 2000; and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNAC) which Nigeria recently ratified. In particular, the UN Convention against corruption imposes clear obligations on Nigeria to investigate allegations of corruption such as the present one; prosecute suspected perpetrators and ensure return and repatriation of proceeds of corruption.
“SERAP is concerned that years of systemic corruption within the NNPC and looting of Nigeria’s natural resources have had uneven consequences against the vulnerable groups of the society, including the poor, women and children, perpetrating and institutionalising discrimination, and jeopardising the needs and well-being of future generations. If left unaddressed, the allegations by Dr. Kachikwu have the potential of undermining your government’s expressed commitment to returning Nigeria to the path of transparency and accountability.”
