Ezekwesili to Buhari: Hope you aren’t planning to bury ‘$25bn NNPC scandal’
Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, is hoping President Muhammadu Buhari will not let the allegations of fraud against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) be swept under the carpet.
She said this in reaction to the reconciliation of Maikanti Baru, group managing director of the oil firm, and Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources.
She said the allegations raised are not one that “a serious government glosses over”, as this will according to her, deal a big blow on the anti-corruption war.
The ex-minister, therefore, asked Buhari to hasten the probe of the NNPC.
Ezekwesili spoke out via a series of tweets.
I hope the FG @NGRPresident @MBuhari 's government does not plan on "moving on". Governance is not about "personal beefs" &"reconciliation".
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
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The weighty Breach of PROCUREMENT LAW raised in @IbeKachikwu against GMD @NNPCgroup is NOT the kind of ISSUE a serious FG GLOSSES OVER.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
The CREDIBILITY of Pres @MBuhari 's anti-corruption agenda suffers deeper lethal BLOW if this gets buried like the #GrassCutterAllegations.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
I hope the FG @NGRPresident @MBuhari 's government does not plan on "moving on". Governance is not about "personal beefs" &"reconciliation".
Advertisement— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
As I did my weekend reading, I saw pictures of Nigerians applauding that @NNPCgroup GMD & his minister, @IbeKachikwu "have reconciled".
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
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I turned to my husband&said, "God save us from gullible citizens!". What does "reconcile" mean to CITIZENS who're VICTIMS of Bad Governance?
Advertisement— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
This is my Voice to say, good that @IbeKachikwu & his GMD @NNPCgroup have become friends again. NOW LET THE BREACH RAISED BE PROBED SWIFTLY.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
I had raised my Voice on the issue and advised an Independent Review of the Mis-Procurement allegations. Can WE KNOW @MBuhari 's FG ACTION?
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
So, here is my counsel to Pres @MBuhari , HASTEN PROBE of the @NNPCgroup BREACH, PUBLISH Report & ACT SWIFTLY on its RECOMMENDATIONS.#DoIt✍🏽
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) October 16, 2017
However, Kachikwu has denied the presence of fraud in the award of contracts by the NNPC, saying his letter was on governance.
The presidency has also said there is no such thing as the award of $25 billion worth of oil contracts by the NNPC.
It’s the responsibility of the press to get to the bottom of this issue and clear the present spate of confusion.