Leadership (Abuja)
Christiana Esebonu
13 October 2008
The Action Congress (AC) has called on President Umar Musa Yar'Adua to direct the anti-corruption agencies, especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the role played by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the frittering away of 16 billion dollars on the country's power sector between 1999 and 2007, following the report of the House Committee that probed the expenditure.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the committee, going by its recommendations as reported by the media, was unambiguous in calling for the probe of the former president.
For the avoidance of doubt, the AC quoted part of the recommendations, as reported, thus: "In view of the enormity of issues entailed in the findings above, it is recommended that former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be called to account for the recklessness in the power sector during his time. The committee recommends that EFCC and ICPC should investigate him."
AC said a major issue concerning the mishandling of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), as discovered by the committee during its televised public sitting, was the granting of waivers to several contractors to receive huge payments without commensurate work done, all in the name of fast-tracking the projects.
But, in the words of the committee, rather than fast- track or facilitate completion of the projects as envisaged, the waiver of due process "became the major plank that facilitated payments to contractors and consultants who have failed to perform, at the expense of the nation and the power industry".
"This is nothing short of economic sabotage, which should attract the urgent attention of the EFCC.
"The party noted that President Umar Musa Yar'Adua had now run out of excuses not to probe the former president and all those indicted in the recommendations.
It said during his tenure, Obasanjo would not have waited for such a preponderance of evidence before unleashing the EFCC against anyone, especially his political enemies.
"Obasanjo made a big deal out of due process and transparency during his stormy tenure. That is good. But as it has now been revealed, he was selective in his application of due process.
This is double standard, and he must be made to answer for that," AC said.
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