ABUJA (AFP) — Nigeria's former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy Atiku Abubakar failed to appear Monday before a parliamentary panel investigating alleged corruption in the power sector, opting to send letters instead.

"After I had prepared my presentations to put before your committee , I became slightly indisposed," Obasanjo wrote to the head of the panel, Ndudi Elumelu.

He attached to his letter what would have been his presentation at the hearing, together with a message saying he would elucidate any other points if requested.

Abubakar wrote from Dubai saying he was unable to find a flight returning to Nigeria in time for the hearing, but promised to ask for another opportunity to make his case.

Obasanjo has been fingered by several former and current public officers who have appeared before the House of Representatives' panel that is looking into how 12 billion to 16 billion dollars (6.5 billion to 10 billion euros) went down the drain on non-existent power projects between 1999 and 2007.

In his written submission, Obasanjo said his administration spent only 6.5 billion dollars on the power sector.

"I have been told that the figure , from 1999 to 2007 is in the region of 6.5 billion dollars, including outstanding letters of credit," he said, adding: "Whatever figure you choose to take, to say that there is little or nothing to show for it, is the greatest understatement of the year".

Esther Nenadi, who served as finance minister at the end of Obasanjo's tenure, told the hearing that about 3.2 billion dollars had been committed to the power sector under Obasanjo.

She said she personally had paid out about 1.2 billion dollars between June 2006 and May 2007 when she was finance minister.

Elumelu, whose panel has just concluded a tour of the power projects under investigation, told the hearing that 95 per cent of the projects visited were "non-performing".

Oil-rich Nigeria currently generates less than 3,000 megawatts -- far too little for the needs of its 140 million inhabitants.

We don hear!

na today

Will he also be sick not to be able to attend that of NNPC by the time they invite him because thats where the real yawa go gas. He can only run and can not hide!

He can only run but can not hide. He will soon be invited by the NNPC panel and that's where the real shit will be exposed!

When does being indisposed mean that he was sick?

some newspapers said he was ill but hear the right word is in use. he is sick and this is real- he has been sick in the head even when he was the president.
i don't see that as a reason because as a chairman of BOT pdp, we have not heard such news that he missed any meeting because of his chronic sickness.
the most important thing is that nigerians have finally come to know that the self acclaimed messiah is not one.
a normal yoruba culture will advise such man to try suicide.
if he wish himself sickness, nigerians will help him pray more sickness into his life so that he will not enjoy his unholy loots.
if he does not watch it very well, he will join the likes of nebukadinezza, saddam hussien and co in the paths of history that ends to the delights of the poor masses.
obj's sad end will be different because his problems started from his immediate family to crown him a perfect devil.