BY Taiwo George
Aminu Bello Masari, governor of Katsina state and former speaker of the house of representatives, has lamented that for six years, a Niger Delta president failed to develop the region despite huge revenues from oil.
Although he did not name anyone, the reference to a Niger Delta president was apparently made to Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past president, under whose presidency oil price averaged $100 per barrel.
In an interview published in the current edition of The Interview, Masari called out Niger Delta leaders, challenging them to “come clean” on how they managed the region’s resources.
“For six years, we had a Niger Delta president. Let us see what difference he made in six years when he was president,” he said.
“When the excess crude account became pocket money, how much of the money went to the Niger Delta?”
He asked the federal government to publish how much the region has received since the 13 percent derivation started.
According to a statement by Azu Ishiekwene, managing director/editor-in-chief of the magazine, “the interview features Masari firing on all cylinders”.
The former speaker of the house of representatives took on Senate President Bukola Saraki, and explained why the third term bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo failed.
For the first time, he spoke at length on ‘budget padding’, and then, he “removed his gloves on his predecessor, Ibrahim Shema”.
Asked what he did to ensure accountability of oil money when he was speaker and also a ranking member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Masari said: “The house of representatives has been friendly to the people of the Niger Delta than any other institution in the country.”
The magazine’s issue also contains detailed interviews with Chioma Ajunwa and the world’s most famous foodies, the Roca Brothers.
Editor’s note: Jonathan was president from 2010-2015, a period of five years
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