Posted by From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja on
THE verbal cross-fire between President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over their public conduct continued yesterday with the vice president's camp calling for a probe of funds spent by the Federal Government on roads, power, refineries and the debt cancellation deal.
THE verbal cross-fire between President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over their public conduct continued yesterday with the vice president's camp calling for a probe of funds spent by the Federal Government on roads, power, refineries and the debt cancellation deal.
In the estimation of the Atiku's camp, the government had since 1999 spent N1.34 trillion on roads, refineries, power and other infrastructure that have refused to work.
It gave the breakdown as N300 billion spent on the roads, N37.4 billion ($300 million) investment in the refineries and another N1 trillion for the power sector.
In a statement, the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation equally raised dust over the anti-corruption crusade of the Obasanjo administration.
Describing it as selective and targeted at perceived enemies, the Vice President urged the President not to fail to explain what happened to the billions of naira appropriated for the nation's sleeping infrastructure.
The Atiku camp, claimed that the President was yet to investigate the N83 billion fraud at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the N30 billion alleged kick-back from the debt-buy back initiative with the Paris Club of Creditors and the alleged use of the presidential jet by former aide of Obasanjo to smuggle $170,000 into the United States (U.S.).
The campaign group said $55,000 of the smuggled money was used to import equipment for the President's farm.
The team feared that the President may have withdrawn the N2 billion from the N50 billion agriculture fund facilitated by the Federal Government.
Atiku was reacting to a defence put up by presidential spokesman, Mallam Uba Sani, that Obasanjo secured a N2 billion loan from banks to revive his farms. Sani's explanation was prompted by earlier questions raised by the Atiku's camp on the President's rising financial profile when only in 1999 he reportedly had just N20,000 in his account.
"The fact that the loan was itself supplicated only about six months ago means that it cannot explain the geometrical expansion of the Ota Farm alone much less the five other multi-billion naira farms established by the President in six states," it claimed. Besides, the organisation said, the monumental transformation of Obasanjo Farms predated the N2 billion the President collected from the banks.
The group went on: "General Obasanjo should tell Nigerians how a farm which was moribund in 1999 and had to be bailed out of impending liquidation became so rich to generate the collateral for a N2 billion loan.
"Everyone conversant with the banking system knows that you need a collateral of about N6 billion to raise a N2 billion loan. President Obasanjo should tell Nigerians how he transformed from a man who his closest minister said had less than N20, 000 in his account in 1999 to someone who now has N6 billion collateral to take a N2 billion loan.
"We are however, hopeful that President Obasanjo will be honest enough to tell Nigerians what date he took the loan, on what conditions and with what collateral. Were these loan advances without his knowledge as was the case with the loan he purportedly collected from UBA to buy the 200 million shares in Transcorp.
"Nigerians will be glad to know if President Obasanjo solely took N2 billion loan from the N50 billion agriculture fund facilitated by the Federal Government when there are millions of Nigerian farmers who should access the loan but have been crying for access since the introduction of the loan last year. If President Obasanjo collected N2 billion from N50 billion agriculture fund approved by his government, does this portend conflict of interest or corruption? These are the questions President Obasanjo should answer to rescue his sagging integrity.
"We also wish to note that in spite of spirited attempt to confuse Nigerians about the issue of corruption, the President has maintained a loud silence on the issue raised about the N700 million cheque he paid into the account of Mofas Shipping Line.Where was this one borrowed from?
"Or, was the N700 million sourced from the N2 billion agriculture loan? We re-state our challenge: President Obasanjo should tell Nigerians how he was transformed from a man of N20,000 savings to such a wealthy man who could issue a single cheque of N70 million. Where did the money come from? What was the money meant for since he has claimed ignorance of the Mofas account?..."
The group also said that if the President was truly fighting corruption, why has he been reluctant to take action on the N83 billion allegedly embezzled in the NPA which was uncovered by his own Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?
It added: "If President Obasanjo is truly fighting corruption, why has he not investigated why Nigerians still work and live in darkness after sinking over N1 trillion on Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) (formerly NEPA)?
"When did Obasanjo start fighting corruption? Is it after the Ministry of Energy (formerly petroleum) which he, (the President) personally supervised for seven years, and in the views of many, a cesspit of corruption where after over $300 million (N37b) investment, there is no single refinery functioning? back initiative?
The group also pointed to the fraud, rigging, gerrymandering and molestation that characterised the primaries in the President's own party, the PDP, the commandeering of INEC Direct Capture Machines by chieftains of his own party, used at their homes for the register of ghost voters", it said.
The Atiku's organisation also accused the President of over-personalisation of public assets and facilities.
Atiku could not use the presidential plane and lounge over the weekend when he visited Yola, Adamawa State, to condole Agriculture Minister, Adamu Bello, on the death of his brother, Bashir. He flew to Yola in a chartered plane to and from the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.