President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday ordered the immediate release of the full report of PriceWater Cooper’s investigations into the allegedly unremitted $20 billion to the Federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The President also said he is ready for
any probe of activities under his watch when he leaves office on May 29.
The President -elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, had on Sunday maintained that he will revisit the allegedly missing $20billion oil money when he gets into office.
The Nation Newspaper quotes Jonathan's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, as saying that the President has ordered the full release of PWC audit into the corporation’s account.
He said, “To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has directed that the full report of the PWC Forensic Audit of the NNPC accounts be released immediately to the public so that all Nigerians will be properly informed on the matter.
“President Jonathan is also deeply concerned by the continuing suggestions that his administration still has something to hide about the unproven allegation that about $20 billion is unaccounted for by the NNPC during his tenure.”
The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had also claimed that there was ongoing massive looting by the out-going government.
The President, according to the statement, has said he is not afraid of any investigation after leaving office.
He noted that investigations will not be out of place since Jonathan’s administration also reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office.
He said: “As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit.
“We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation.”
Denying the allegations by Mohammed, he said: “We have noted with concern, the allegation by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that officials of the Federal Government are engaged in “last minute looting of the nation’s resources, rushed privatization of key institutions and hurried recruitment into the public service.
“We also consider as most unfortunate and uncharitable, the suggestion by Alhaji Mohammed that the Jonathan administration is trying to “tie the hands” of the incoming government merely by continuing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities until the end of its tenure.
“The Jonathan administration which continues to do its best to ensure a smooth and peaceful handover over of power to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and combative frame of mind reflected in Alhaji Mohammed’s statement.”
According to him, President Jonathan has done his best in the past five years to discharge his constitutional responsibilities for good governance and effective leadership of the nation.
“Without any prejudice whatsoever to the freedom of the incoming administration to do as it pleases, within the confines of extant laws when it assumes office, the Jonathan administration will continue to discharge its responsibility to govern until May 29, 2015.”
“In continuing to fulfil the obligations of his office however, President Jonathan has not, and will never condone any form of unscrupulous conduct on the part of state officials,” he added.
He maintained that President Jonathan will never authorise any attempt to create any problems for the incoming administration, stressing that the outcome of the March 28 presidential election does not imply a cessation of governance.
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