Rights Groups Want Okonjo-Iweala, Madueke, Yakubu Sacked

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA BEVERLY HILLS, February 25, (THEWILL) - A coalition of civil rights groups has called for the sack of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs.

Diezani Alison Madueke;  and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Mr.

Andrew Yakubu.
Making the call in Abuja on Tuesday, the coalition made up of 43 civil society organisations  under the aegis of the Civil Society Situation Room, asked   President  Goodluck Jonathan to sack  the three public officers immediately.

Reiterating the call in a communique issued at the end of their meeting, the Situation Room also called on the National Assembly to convene an independent judicial commission of inquiry to unravel the mystery behind the alleged missing  $20 billion at  NNPC.

The communiqué said: "Situation Room notes that $20 billion would make a huge and significant difference to the lives and living conditions of the ordinary Nigerians and significant impact on collapsed infrastructure, generate new jobs and revive industries and indeed address several problems confronting the country.

" Maintaining that they were not happy at the way  President Jonathan has been  handling corruption in the country,the groups said:  "The levity with which President Jonathan has handled this colossal and high level of corruption, questions his presidency and raises concern about his ability to govern.

" The Situation Room also expressed concerns that a lot of work was still needed for the 2015 elections before  an acceptable and credible voters register could be made.

The coalition therefore  called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide adequate information to the public on work done to achieve permanent voters card and have it distribute across all the states of the federation before voting in 2015.

They  also expressed worries about the security situation across the country particularly in the North East region of the country .

"Inspite of assurances by President Jonathan and officials of his government on a daily basis, the country receives damning report of bombings and other atrocities perpetrated against Nigerian citizens in the North East," they said.

They also faulted  the government over the unavailability of competent personnel and equipment  to tackle the insecurity in the North East and other parts of  the country.

"No doubt this situation in the North East is a critical factor in the voting in the 2015 elections.

A situation where one-sixth of the country's citizen are under threat of not participating in the 2015 elections raises serious concern about the legitimacy of the next elections," the communique added.

They therefore called on President Jonathan to disclose concrete efforts being made to address the challenge of security in the North East, and the fear of Nigerians that the fight against terrorism had become another conduit for siphoning public funds without delivering on the promise of tackling insecurity in the country.

Leader of the group, Clement Nwankwo,  insisted that President Jonathan does not have absolute power to sack Sanusi.

He added that the President  should have consulted the National Assembly before taking  such decision.

Advising Sanusi to reply the query issued him, the Situation Room maintained that the suspension of the CBN Governor   was arbitrary in nature even as they warned that the President might one day chose to remove other public officials  whose appointment enjoyed statutory flavour should they express contrary opinion.