A report by Thisday Newspaper, indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated moves to ensure that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Boss, Maikanti Baru, is not indicted by the Senate Ad hoc Committee, over missing N9 trillion.
Recall, that Buhari is the Minister of Petroleum Resources, and the NNPC is under his direct control and supervision.
The nine-man Committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, APC), is charged with investigating Baru, over the allegations raised against him.
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu’s leaked memo to Buhari accused Baru of insubordination, and keeping the NNPC Board chaired by Kachikwu in the dark in the award of contracts, and promotion of senior Executives of NNPC.
The Senate Ad hoc Committee which was supposed to hold its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, October 17, postponed it to next week Tuesday, October 24, without any reasons given.
A source quoted in the report however, said Buhari met with Wamakko later that day, to lobby the Committee to give Baru a soft landing.
According to the source, the President was prevailed upon to personally meet with Wamakko, instead of delegating the assignment to any of his Aides.
“Wamakko has a reputation for being firm and straightforward. Obviously, many Senators were certain of his handling of the probe with him at the helm of the Committee, because he would say it as it is.
“That is why the President’s Aides convinced him (Buhari) to personally meet with Wamakko, to ensure that the message is clear. If not, he would have delegated someone like Abba Kyari (the President’s Chief of Staff), or even any of the party leaders”, the source said.
The source further disclosed that the motive behind the meeting was to ensure that Baru is not indicted by the Committee, and to prevent a recommendation for his removal from office.
“The motive of the meeting is to ensure that Baru is not indicted, because that would make the Senate Committee recommend his removal.
“Of course, most Nigerians already believe he was appointed for certain purposes, and with Kyari on the Board of NNPC, and the President himself as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, the purpose is clear.
“So the issue now is to make sure the ‘purpose’ is not scuttled”, the source added.
Gistlovers could not independently verify if any such meetings took place, as at the time of submitting this report.
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