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[b]Privatisation, Senators Want Obasanjo Punished[

The Senate Wednesday opened debate on the reports of its ad hoc committee on the investigation of government’s privatisation and commercialisation activities, with a number of the lawmakers insisting that former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not go unpunished for the widespread fraud that characterised the exercise during his tenure.

But in an apparent bid to save Obasanjo’s neck, Senate President David Mark cautioned his colleagues to remain focused on the committee’s recommendation and avoid politicising the issues at stake.

He said: “We should remain focused; we should not bring partisan politics into the journey that we started so well so far, so that we do not derail.”

Although the committee’s report did not specifically mention Obasanjo for sanction, it made a veiled reference to “presidential interference” in the privatisation exercise, which it strongly condemned and advised its avoidance in future.

Many senators, who commented on the committee’s report, could not however resist the urge to blame Obasanjo for most of the failures of some of the privatised companies to comply with the terms of the privatisation agreement.

The senators were stunned when Senator Olusola Adeyeye (ACN, Osun) related to them how one of Obasanjo’s sons allegedly brought the Indian company that bought the Ajaokuta Steel Company, which later embarked on mass “looting of the company’s assets and sending them to India”.

He said it was wrong to blame former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the alleged irregularities in the privatisation exercise when his boss Obasanjo who gave certain approvals in contravention to the privatisation laws would go unpunished.

Also in his contribution, Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Abu Ibrahim (CPC, Katsina), argued that it would be unfair for the Senate to recommend punishment for the former Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) bosses for allegedly taking orders from the former president and fail to recommend same for Obasanjo.

Ibrahim said: “The report is comprehensive and decisive. I am worried that the main culprit who signed these documents has been left out. This Senate would have been encouraged to indict such person. Such person should be reprimanded. The Senate should be encouraged to indict former President Olusegun Obasanjo for breaking these laws. He personally signed these companies off. I believe the committee on privatisation should consider those companies one by one and see if the former president is involved and he should be prosecuted.”

On his part, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi) said the ad hoc committee’s report had shown vividly that although privatisation as a concept was good but its implementation was against national interest.

He said: “The Indians who bought Ajaokuta Iron and Steel, rather than turn it around, dismantled the equipment and exported them to India. Today, we are importing the same steel from India.”

Adeyemi, therefore urged the government to summon the political will to implement the recommendations of the committee, saying: “The credibility of our Senate will be tested by this report. There are powerful Nigerians involved in this thing and they must be made to face the wrath of the law.”

But chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Ahmad Lawan (ANPP, Yobe), defended his committee’s recommendations, saying: “They were very patriotic and devoid of sentiments.”

The lawmakers, however, said that the implementation of the committee’s report would show how determined President Goodluck Jonathan is in his fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, former Head of State and the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has urged Nigerians to ask Obasanjo to account for monies that accrued to the country when he was at the helm of affairs.

Buhari, who made this call Wednesday at the grand finale campaign of the Kogi State CPC governorship candidate, Mr. James Enejo Ocholi (SAN), at the Lokoja Township Stadium, alleged that the money made by the country during the Obasanjo regime was more than what the nation got from 1914 to the time he was sworn in.

“No CPC governor will be larger than the party. Anybody who steals public funds will go to jail and anyone who is not ready to work will be allowed to go,” he stated.

He said for the country to forge ahead, anybody found guilty of corruption should no longer be spared, but his property should be confiscated and the accused person sentenced to a long jail term.

Buhari, who has been in the state for the past three days, urged the people to vote for Ocholi whom he described as a courageous and credible man who would bring positive change to the state.

In his address, the governorship candidate urged the people to come out en masse and vote for him in Saturday’s election, saying the ruling party had failed the state.

The CPC candidate, who was presented to the electorate at the rally, also promised to embark on aggressive rehabilitation of roads, hospitals, schools and other such infrastructures.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/privatisation-senators-want-obasanjo-punished/104025/