News Editor
By Edwin Philip
Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 General Elections, Mr. Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of running a government where is only his family members, friends and associates are the sole beneficiaries of appointment to public offices, contracts and influence in all facets, saying that his government is rapidly turning into “a government of Tinubu by Tinubu and for Tinubu.”
In a press release made available to Journalist and signed by his long time Media Adviser Paul Ibe, the former Vice President asserts that the future of Nigerians has been effectively mortgaged to President Bola Tinubu, his family, and associates. He believes that even after Tinubu leaves office, “it will be nearly impossible to break these shackles.”
Atiku, ompares Tinubu’s integration of his business interests into Lagos’s public enterprises to his efforts at the federal level.
“Just as Alpha Beta, Primero, and others act as Tinubu’s proxies in Lagos, managing critical sectors and generating revenue for him and his family, he has begun to replicate this at the federal level,” Atiku said.
He expressed surprised at the operations of the NNPC and how the government-owned oil company had put its retail arm under the control of OVH, a company in which Oando, led by Wale Tinubu, owns 49%.
Atiku regretted that his intention to privatize the NNPC and increase its transparency has been overshadowed by what he describes as the “criminal hijack of the NNPC” by “corporate cabals around the current president.”
“In October 2022, just five months before the elections, the NNPC Retail controversially announced it had acquired OVH and all its filling stations. NNPCL already had about 550 filling stations across the country but claimed it was enhancing its capacity by acquiring OVH, which had only 94 stations and 100 others leased.
“The NNPC did not disclose the purchase price of OVH or the terms of the acquisition. A Freedom of Information request by Premium Times was said to have been also rejected by the NNPC, which claimed to be a private company despite still being government-owned.
“Following this dubious deal, Mele Kyari was controversially retained as NNPC GMD despite his incompetence. Tinubu then appointed his former boss at Mobil, turned ally, Pius Akinyelure, as NNPC Chairman, while he himself took on the role of Minister of Petroleum.”
“In a move that defies economic logic, OVH, previously owned by NNPC Retail, has now acquired NNPC Retail. This absurd situation means that Wale Tinubu’s Oando now owns 49% of NNPC Retail. Moreover, Nigeria paid Wale Tinubu a significant sum to facilitate the Tinubu family’s acquisition of the national oil company.” According to the statement, this represents a clear case of illogical business transactions and abuse of office by President Tinubu, who has prevented NNPC from becoming a public liability company as stipulated by the Petroleum IndustryAct, PIA.”
The former vice president acknowledged that the NNPC and its leadership are under legislative investigation but expressed mis feelings about the credibility of the process due to the vested interests of those conducting the investigation.
“Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who is heading the National Assembly panel, is a known supporter of Tinubu. He served as a commissioner under Tinubu in Lagos State and publicly calls him “his godfather.” He further argues that given Tinubu’s as Petroleum Minister, he should be held responsible for the sector’s issues and I doubt if Bamidele will conduct a thorough investigation that might implicate his patron,” Atiku insisted.
Atiku also commented on the recent revelation that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project is under litigation.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global network of investigative journalists, reported that the coastal highway project has been taken to court and revealed a close relationship between Tinubu’s son, Seyi, and Gilbert Chagoury, who was awarded the contract without competitive bidding.
“I had earlier claimed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was fraudulent, but the government denied it. Now, the matter is in court. It is also concerning that Chagoury and Tinubu have a business relationship, and their children are business partners, as revealed by the OCCRP.
“This indicates a conflict of interest. It is no surprise that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway, which together will cost over $24 billion, were approved without competitive bidding. It seems that whatever Tinubu wants, he gets,” Atiku concluded.
The former Vice President (1999-2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party 2023 general election also holds the traditional title of Chiroman Adamawa in the Lamido’s court in Yola, Adamawa State
