President Muhammad Buhari, who has faced a lot of criticisms following the controversies trailing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has been called out by Belt Patriotic Front, to take necessary actions as his integrity is at stake.
The Crisis rocking the NNPC was made open after Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum wrote a letter to President Buhari, seeking for urgent actions on matters ranging from illegal corrupt practices to insubordination by the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikantu Baru.
Convernor of the group, Mr Ibrahim Bunu, who spoke on the matter, stated that Buhari’s silence in the allegations of his officials in the alleged fraud was in contrast to his administration ‘s fight against corruption.
Mr Ibrahim added that a thorough investigation into the allegations should have been done immediately after which the guilty individuals will be suspended from office and made to face the law.
He said, “There are glaring instances of corrupt practices that have not been investigated. The former SGF was investigated, but the report was not made public. Baru’s case too is being handled as a family affair.
“President Buhari should speak out on these issues and allow the appropriate anti-graft agencies handle the matter, instead of handling it with levity. It is a state matter, not a family one. Mr. President’s integrity is at stake. Baru should proceed on suspension to pave the way for thorough investigation of the allegations against him. Otherwise, the anti-corruption war will look selective.
In the same vein, a former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Simon Mwadkon, said the anti-corruption crusade of the administration had collapsed, adding that all those alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices in the government were being shielded.
“One would have expected the president to immediately act on the letter by the Dr Kachikwu and place Baru on suspension for proper investigation.”
Mwadkon also referred back to the manner in which president Buhari promptly handled the issue of the Secretary-General of the Federation, Babachir lawal who was suspended from office after the Senate, which investigated spendings from the funds earmarked for the welfare of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, through the Presidential Initiative on North East, PINE, found Lawal complicit and recommended that he be shown the way out.
The call out by the group is one of the many critics that have followed the NNPC crisis, as the likes of Femi Fani Kayode, former aviation minister, had also waded into the matter, accusing the President of being involved in the contract scam.