Under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, I was vociferous against the major economic saboteurs and those that were presiding over corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but many lackeys of that inglorious era called me names. They could not understand why I could not just shut up in the face of evil seeing that the perpetrators or those who aided and abetted the criminality (which we call corruption for want of a better name) were from my ethnic origin.
According to them, I was supposed to remain silent seeing that some of my own kith and kin were believed to be supervising the monumental pillaging of the nation’s wealth. “Don’t you think you ought to support your brother, who is today the President of this country rather than criticising him in the media on a daily basis?” one of them said to me one day. He had added: “What is the problem between you and the Minister of Petroleum Resources? Don’t you know she is your sister?” My reply to all such preaching was that I would rather do without a brother and a sister whose actions or inactions are bringing untold hardship on the generality of Nigerians.
I had called on Nigerians to rise up in protest and make sure change was effected at the appropriate time during the elections. I will never cease to thank God for having heard the cry of Nigerians and delivered this country into the hands of a ‘Moses’ – President Muhammadu Buhari – who is today leading this country to the promised land. I can only look back with gratitude to my maker and Nigerians for making the much sought paradigm shift in the governance of this country a reality in my lifetime.
Come to think of it, I, alongside others had taken it upon ourselves to constantly warn the previous administration of Jonathan that he risked plunging the nation into a chaos and anarchy if he did not urgently assert himself by ridding his team of bad elements who were only out to despoil the country instead of serve the people. Of course, he never ‘gave a damn’. Diezani Alison-Madueke was retained in the cabinet to the end despite allegations of monumental corruption against her. She became the untouchable heiress of the NNPC. Comrade Abba Moro was retained to the end despite the blood on his hands as a result of Nigerians who died during the ill-fated Immigration recruitment exercise. The former President daily recruited people who were biased and possessed questionable characteristics into powerful positions, even as he supported the warped ones with his body language. Nobody could call him to order until Nigerians did so on March 28, 2015.
It could be recalled that several panels constituted by the Federal Government to examine the books of the NNPC during the period had specifically and severally indicted the NNPC and the eggheads that were managing it of corruption, especially between 2010 and 2013. Alison-Madueke was appointed in 2010. Some of the reports included the Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede Committee report on fuel subsidy, Nuhu Ribadu’s Committee report on NNPC and fuel subsidy, KPMG’s audit report on NNPC, NEITI report on NNPC and fuel subsidy, Senate Committee’s report on the missing $20billion, Farouk Lawan’s Committee report and the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) forensic audit report.
Only recently, the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) also returned a damning verdict on the corporation when its report suggested that over $32 billion oil revenue was lost to NNPC’s mismanagement of Domestic Crude Allocation (DCA), opaque revenue retention practices and corruption-ridden oil-for-product swap agreements. This information did not surprise me because I had presented Jonathan with more facts and figures which he blatantly ignored to his detriment.
The NRGI report which covered a 10-year period not only confirmed what I had continually made public, but offered a deep, independent analysis of how NNPC sold its oil, and how its discretionary spending from domestic crude oil sale revenues had skyrocketed, exceeding $6 billion a year for the 2011 to 2013 period (i.e. over $18 billion in three years).
The document further revealed that NNPC’s approach to oil sales continued to be enmeshed in monumental financial malfeasance largely because of its inability to either develop its own commercial or operational capacity, or facilitate the growth of the sector through external investment. The fact remains that the NNPC funnelled the nation’s precious crude — worth $35 billion – to swap deals between 2010 and 2014 and the recent offshore processing agreements (OPAs) that contained unbalanced terms which did not serve Nigeria’s needs and interest.
These and many others are why I am proud that Buhari has seized the bull by the horn in tackling the rot in the behemoth. The recent appointment of Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Corporation to begin the surgical operation urgently needed to rid the corporation of unwanted corrupt tendencies is salutary. Even though Kachikwu is coming on the saddle at a time the image and goings-on in the corporation are shameful, he is no doubt equal to the task. His training and experience are needed at this time to revamp the NNPC and by extension the Nigerian economy. I strongly believe that if all hidden funds accruable to the NNPC are made available to the Federal Government, the present administration will worry less about present financial constraints. For example, NRGI in its report said it was in possession of evidence that NNPC did not forward any revenues from sales of Okono crude with volumes of over 100 million barrels, with an estimated value of $12.3 billion to the federation account between 2004 and 2014. The organisation also claimed that losses from three provisions in a single offshore processing agreements (OPAs) contract, estimated at $381 million in one year (or over $1.9 billion between 2010 till date), were identified.
This is beside the fact that the NNPC, according to them, channeled Nigeria’s precious crude — worth $35 billion – to swap deals between 2010 and 2014, the recent offshore processing agreements (OPAs) containing unbalanced terms that did not efficiently serve Nigeria’s needs and interest. All these must change now with the coming on board of Kachikwu. I believe he will show at this time that something good can come out of the Niger Delta despite the dismal showing of both ex-President Jonathan and Diezani. This is why I want to say that the recent sack of Group Executive Directors (GEDs) and the rejigging of some top management positions in the corporation are not enough. Kachikwu must shed all the weight that has continued to beset the corporation to the detriment of the generality of our people. The symbol of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the broom. I want to urge Kachikwu to seize the positive tide of political will represented by Buhari to thoroughly sweep the Aegean stable in the NNPC. For him to succeed, many in the hierarchy whose hands are brimming with corrupt practices must be shown the way out. Kachikwu cannot afford to fail. His failure would not only be for himself but of the entire Niger Delta. Should he fail to return to the NNPC to the part of probity, accountability, openness and a successful going concern, then he would have driven the final nail into the economic coffin built by some past managers of the NNPC for this country. God forbid! Let it be said at the end of Kachikwu’s tenure that the monumental stealing of the nation’s oil resources stopped when he came. Let it be said that Kachikwu was the David who killed the evil Goliath in the NNPC. As the immediate past Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon-Mobil (Africa), the new boss of the corporation ensured that the company was managed profitably. Driving the NNPC on the road of rectitude and profitability would be challenging no doubt but I am confident that Kachikwu will overcome to the admiration of Nigerians.
In my column of June 2, 2015, on this page, I had spoken of my expectation from the new administration when I said: “I expect Buhari and the APC’s administration to shine the light and let the people find their way.” The appointments of Kachikwu and Brigadier-General Paul.T. Boroh (rtd.) as coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) are good signs that Buhari is already toeing the path of merit and competence. Added to this fact is that these two men are from the Niger Delta. He did not select them based on APC membership. He did not select them based on the number of votes he garnered from the Niger Delta during the Presidential election. But he chose them because he knows they have what it takes to help him deliver on his change agenda. Mr. President must be commended for taking the road least taken in the administration of this country.
In the piece I referred to above, I had further remarked that: “Already, Buhari has started with inspiring examples by ordering all security personnel and official escorts attached to him to obey traffic rules, refused to ride a Rolls Royce in London – made available for him by the Nigerian High Commission during his recent visit to Downing Street – ordered the Command and Control centre in the fight against Boko Haram to be relocated from Abuja to Maiduguri, and the appointment of thorough-bred media professionals in the likes of Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu to head his media team.”
I am particularly happy that Buhari has continued to prove critics wrong by acting honestly and transparently. He has demonstrated leadership in all his utterances and actions so far. Apart from the NNPC, all his other appointments and policy statements so far show that he cares for this country and therefore is willing to continue on the path of positive change and impactful leadership. I cannot but call on Nigerians to support Mr President to succeed even more.
LEADERSHIP
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