Written by Taiwo Adisa, AbujaSunday, 06 May 2012
Revelations contained in the fuel subsidy probe embarked upon by the Honourable Farouk Lawan-led adhoc committee of the House of Reprresentatives may have
sealed the hopes of former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, of replacing former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT).
The House of Representatives had rejected a mild punishment recommended by the Lawan-led committee in dealing with the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) headed by Ali and which was seen as opening the floodgates for all manners of participants in the oil business, leading to the ballooning of the subsidy funds.
The House had recommended Ali for probe and prosecution in its final resolution, which was adopted unanimously last week.
Sources close to the government said on Saturday that while the president is awaiting the clean copy of the probe report, it was almost a fait accompli that the indictment by the House would stop the consideation of Ali for the BoT job.
“This president wants to run away from controversies and if he wants to be seen as fighting corruption, he cannot be patting those indicted on the back at the same time,” a source told Sunday Tribune, adding that the choice of Ali, though came from “some quarters,” was being set aside.
It was learnt that Ali is Obasanjo’s choice for the BoT job, following his resignation from the seat early April. But sources said the task before Ali’s supporters had been made difficult by the House probe.
“The claims out there are that the subsidy funds were used to fund election. But that is far from the truth. Those who deeped their hands into the till illegally are trying to cover up by spreading that story. That is why the president has said that he would spare no one, especially if he or she is indicted through a verifiable process,” another source stated.
It was learnt that the process laid out for the installation of Ali as BoT chairman is now becoming shaky, following the indictment of the PPPRA board by that he led the House.
It was also gathered that the indictment of the Ali-led board was almost inevitable, following the claims by major marketers that the bazaar witnessed in the fuel subsidy management was virtually non-existent when only few companies were involved.
Besides Ali, chieftains of the PDP from the the South-West and South-East are also said to be eyeing the BoT chairmanship seat.
Some of those already mentioned include former occupier, Tony Anenih; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, former Senate Presidents Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani and former BoT chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Chief Harry Akande; Chiefs Bode George and Richard Akinjide and Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, among others.
The House of Representatives had rejected a mild punishment recommended by the Lawan-led committee in dealing with the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) headed by Ali and which was seen as opening the floodgates for all manners of participants in the oil business, leading to the ballooning of the subsidy funds.
The House had recommended Ali for probe and prosecution in its final resolution, which was adopted unanimously last week.
Sources close to the government said on Saturday that while the president is awaiting the clean copy of the probe report, it was almost a fait accompli that the indictment by the House would stop the consideation of Ali for the BoT job.
“This president wants to run away from controversies and if he wants to be seen as fighting corruption, he cannot be patting those indicted on the back at the same time,” a source told Sunday Tribune, adding that the choice of Ali, though came from “some quarters,” was being set aside.
It was learnt that Ali is Obasanjo’s choice for the BoT job, following his resignation from the seat early April. But sources said the task before Ali’s supporters had been made difficult by the House probe.
“The claims out there are that the subsidy funds were used to fund election. But that is far from the truth. Those who deeped their hands into the till illegally are trying to cover up by spreading that story. That is why the president has said that he would spare no one, especially if he or she is indicted through a verifiable process,” another source stated.
It was learnt that the process laid out for the installation of Ali as BoT chairman is now becoming shaky, following the indictment of the PPPRA board by that he led the House.
It was also gathered that the indictment of the Ali-led board was almost inevitable, following the claims by major marketers that the bazaar witnessed in the fuel subsidy management was virtually non-existent when only few companies were involved.
Besides Ali, chieftains of the PDP from the the South-West and South-East are also said to be eyeing the BoT chairmanship seat.
Some of those already mentioned include former occupier, Tony Anenih; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, former Senate Presidents Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani and former BoT chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Chief Harry Akande; Chiefs Bode George and Richard Akinjide and Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, among others.
SOURCE: Sunday Tribune, 6 May 2012. http://tribune.com.ng/sun
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