Feelers from the Presidency indicate that some very close associates of former President Goodluck Jonathan, for fear of facing prosecution, are now making moves to negotiate with the Federal Government for soft landing.
Those making frantic efforts for a plea bargain include former key officials in petroleum as well as maritime sectors of the economy, where alleged cases of sleaze have been discovered. The moves followed increasing anxiety as the Buhari administration continues to unearth facts of alleged shady deals, especially concerning the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Nigerian Ports Authority, under the last administration.
While about N6.4 trillion is said to have been lost to massive corruption in NNPC, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, recently said NPA remitted only N2 billion out of the N162bn it was said to have generated in one year to the Federation Account.
It was gathered that NPA is being investigated and some of its former top officials may face prosecution for alleged sharp practices, including diversion of revenue, reckless spending and abuse of financial regulations in the award of towage and other contracts, running into hundreds of billions of naira. The Federal Government, Sunday Telegraph learnt, is currently building its case on the issues with a view to coming up with water-tight charges for prosecution. This is ostensibly to controvert the Peoples Democratic Party’s claims that the anticorruption fight is targeted at members of the opposition.
“I can confirm to you that the operations of the NPA under the last administration are being investigated. There are issues of questionable transactions and alleged diversion of funds running into hundreds of billions of naira. Of course, you know that very high personalities are involved, so we are building a water-tight case,” a source in one of the antigraft agencies, who pleaded anonymity, said.
However, another source close to some key members of the embattled board said they had been reaching out to Presidency officials and the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress to negotiate a plea bargain and escape prosecution.
Though part of the said move is the return of looted funds, feelers indicate that the Presidency is not disposed to such, as it is bent on bringing all looters of public funds to book, especially given the challenges thrown by the public and the opposition PDP. When contacted, a PDP official who would not want to be quoted, said the party would not want to be dragged into the issues.
The source said the party had since stated its position that it was not opposed to the anti-corruption fight of the current administration so long as it is carried out in line with the due process of the law.
Meanwhile, two rights groups, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria and Association of African Writers on Human and Peoples Rights, yesterday cautioned Buhari against usurping the functions of the legislature and judiciary in his fight against corruption. Addressing journalists, the National coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, appealed to Buhari not to be misled by Nigerians who were interested in settling scores with their perceived enemies in the guise of fighting corruption. Onwubiko said the groups were proposing a bill to the National Assembly on capital punishment for looters of public funds.
“We are saying that if you want corruption to be fought, you must adhere to due process. It must be done in line with constitutional provisions. If it is found that a man who is fighting corruption is corrupt he should be made to face the same music too.”
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