Jonathan hasn`t received House report on subsidy probe - Presidency
Huhuonline.com understands that the House of Representatives is yet to transmit the report of the Farouk Lawan`s probe panel on petroleum subsidy. The Presidency, Wednesday, stated that President Goodluck Jonathan was yet to receive any report from
members of the House of Representatives on the petroleum subsidy probe.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Alhaji Ali Gullack, special adviser to President Jonathan on Political Affairs said contrary to report that the president has refused to act on the report, the president was yet to get any report from the law maker.
Alhaji Gullack who expressed dismay over the call by prominent Nigerians to embark on civil unrest should the president fail to implement the content of the report said 'President Jonathan is one person that wants things done and done correctly. He is the only president in the history of this country that has embarked upon the cleansing of the oil and gas sector. He is the only president that has embarked upon fighting corruption in the sector and for anybody to say that Mr. President is sitting on any report is unfair and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good name of the president'.
The presidential aide said there was no denying the fact that President Jonathan determined to fight corruption in the system and urged Nigerians to give him the necessary support to be able to achieve this important assignment.
'The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been given the mandate to go into the matter and you will also recall that not too long ago, Mr. President directed the minister of petroleum resources to appoint Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC chairman to help sanities the oil and gas sector. The president is determined to do more if he is given the necessary support by Nigerians,' he said.
He however urged the House adhoc committee probing the subsidy to get to the root of the subsidy issue in order to give the probe a measure of credibility stressing that as it is now 'it looks like the probe is targeted at some individuals'.
Gullack said, 'Why did they not invite Rilwanu Lukman? He was the minister of petroleum resources during the period of the probe? Where is Mohammed Barkindo who was the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)? Where are the other key actors who were at the vanguard of the subsidy regime? The House of Representatives must call these individuals before we can truly say they are doing the right thing otherwise the report will lack credibility. What is worth doing at all is worth doing well'.
The presidential adviser added, 'yes, money has been stolen in NNPC and we have to get to the root but in doing that we must go back to when it all started? At what point did things go bad? Mr. President is even the one that is saying no more stealing with the subsidy regime and that it must stop, how can he then turn around and sit on something that will help him sanitize the sector? People should not allow themselves be used to promote the political agenda of some selfish individuals'. Attempts to reach the deputy Speaker of the House Of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, to ascertain the cause of the delay were unsuccessful as at press time.Recall that the deputy speaker, penultimate week, presided over the adoption of findings of probe panel.