…As group alleges plan to hijack it
From DENNIS MERNYI, Abuja
Notwithstanding President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive that the controversial report of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force (PRTF) be submitted to him on Friday, there are strong indications that the report may have been hijacked by the Presidency, through the Petroleum Ministry.
President Jonathan had, in a statement on Monday, in Abuja, by his media aide, Dr. Rueben Abati, denied the said Presidential directive report, stressing that he was not under pressure from any quarter to rubbish the Ribadu-led PRTF report.
However, it was gathered that the Petroleum ministry had, immediately after receiving the report from Ribadu, briefed the President and expressed concern on some critical aspect of the document with potentials of damaging the image of the government, telling him of plan by the ministry to set-up another committee to vet the report, so as to remove recommendations that may embarrass government ministry officials and oil companies.
Daily Sun gathered further that, almost three weeks after the report was presented to the minister, nothing was heard about it from the committee, “a development that forced its chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, to leak it to the foreign media to frustrate plans by government to render the work useless,” a reliable source from the ministry has disclosed. Meanwhile, it was gathered that some members of the panel have been accusing Ribadu of leaking the report to the media for selfish reasons.
To this end, the source disclosed that, “a group within the task force team has resorted to attempt to blackmail their chairman, Nuhu Ribadu alleging that he acted alone in all decisions concerning the receiving, reviewing, revising and submission of the report to the minister. “Ribadu indeed thought it wise to rush to the public with the findings of the report even though, some people would want to fault him on the process or procedure but the fact remains that Nigerians now have the opportunity to know how much government officials and their cronies cannot allow corruption to give way in the country,” it said.
Faulting the position and disclosure by Anthony George Ikoli, a member of the panel and former Bayelsa State attorney general and Justice commissioner, the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan and Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, that the committee’s assignment was factual yet to be definitely concluded, he said “it is a complete disservice to the government and the people of Nigeria under whose mandate they were asked to serve.”
Ribadu ,el- rufai are my mentors lets give them chance fully 2 serve us so dat we can clean up dis mess in dis country
The more you look, the less you see = government magic
There is something about Ribadu that i dont like. He is always carried away. He will always be controversial and likes noises and causing confusion. Why leaking the report to foreign media without the consent of other members of the committee if not to cause confession. In EFCC, he tried and found people guilty on the pages of newspapers. He should stop all these showmanship and be serious with his life please.
No Big Daddy,you got it wrong,See Ribadu did all he could to cleanse Nigeria from corruption,but the Judiciary said NO.Now let me ask you,can you compare Ribadu with the present chairman?Judge among yourself.
Hmmm…which way Nigeria? May God deliver us all.
Do Ur best and leave the rest. Mr President
@big daddy, you got it wrong if Ribadu leaked the report to international press he only tried to save guard its authenticity because that lady minister of petroleum is too controversial in all her deals in the petroleum ministry. We need more serious guys like ribadu to occupy sensitive positions in the government in order to have more transparency in official quarters.
Let us introduce DEATH PENALTY to curb this hyper corruption in government ministries, agencies and departments. Enough of this nonsense.
na wa, For Nigerians government , reports upon reports, nothing comes out of them, why waste our money setting up panels , when their reports in be trashed. God help NIGERIA, God Bless Nigeria
Big dady really got it wrong on RIBADU . He burns with unquenchable desire to free this country from the shackles of corruption in the country. Unlike perpetually corrupt officials like Mr Steve Oronsanye a former private secretary to OBJ,former HOS etc. No wonder PENSION SCAM reached its apogee under him as HOS. We can now see why ORONSANYE much talked about committee on RATIONALISATION OF FG PARASTATALS is yet to see the light of the day. Despite loud outcry of blouted Govt agencies and duplication of functions and its negative impact in the yearly budgets. GEJ OVER TO YOU. TO MAKE OR TO MAR!!!
so we have concluded that Ribadu is a saint. I blame Goodluck for giving ribadu such sensitive assignment knowing he has interest in Oando together with Tinubu. Oando is one of the oil firm that fall out of favour with the minister. Lets check facts and stop backing cabals.These wemen are out to help us find our lost bearing. As efcc chairman, Ribadu was just a tool in obj hand.
People of nija should stand up 2 this grand cover up of the truth. Those indicted should face the law nd resign. Those micro_scopic rich marketers looting our oil their accouts should be frozen. All the goverment workers involve should be inprisoned and made public as a lesson for nigerians to see and learn dat no evil will go unpunished. God bless nija
my pain is d tax payer’s
money that must ve been spent on the comitee.always wasting our money on comitees whose reports will always be kept under d carpet.the almighty father will come to our aid one day d way HE saved egypians from king pharao.SHEIDU YAHAYA