Former minister of Power, Barth Nnaji has said that it was the lobby of generator and diesel suppliers that led to his sack from the Goodluck Jonathan cabinet and not any conflict of interest in the privatization process as was earlier alleged.
Nnaji made the claim whilst delivering the convocation lecture to students at the Bells University of Technology last Friday.
Nnaji said, ““When I came in as Special Adviser on Power to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power, I said we should take this power issue as an act of parliament and implement it to the letter.
“When you hear of the Power Sector Reform Road Map, it is the plan for the implementation of a law for the reform of the power sector and we did not go outside of that as we pursued it vigorously and boosted investor confidence.
“I’m pleased that today(Friday) is the physical handover of all the generation and distribution companies to private sector. I’m very proud of this rigorous plan and discipline and the follow through.
“But this success story came with all manner of challenges. Some people were trying to hack me down and it was just tremendous.
“We had challenges from generator suppliers; diesel suppliers; people in government benefiting from having to award contracts and even the contractors themselves and all manner of people – they were all calling for my head.
“But we were able to go to the point of no return and this is a credit to Nigeria.”
He urged the graduating students to contribute their quota to improving the value system of the country.
He said, “Ask yourself, ‘How can I be a part of doing something great that significantly and positively impact my society?’ ‘How can I balance living well and doing good deeds?
“Go out there and be a shining example of what Nigeria and Africa can give to the world. Become part of the movement that will drop Nigeria from the list of the most corrupt nations of the world.”