Nigeria: PTDF-Gate: President Obasanjo's Apologia To Trivia

President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria last Friday March 16, 2007, sent his over 10 page letter of defence on how he spent the revenue meant for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). But the letter reads more like an "apologia to trivia" and cannot save him from the consequences of his corruption.

President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria last Friday March 16, 2007, sent his over 10 page letter of defence on how he spent the revenue meant for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in accordance with the law establishing the PTDF. The Chairman of the Committee, Umaru Tsauri, has confirmed the receipt of the letter. It was delivered by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters. But, the President did not address the details of the misappropriations he committed in the over-invoicing and inflated contracts of the projects he approved for the following:

1.Computer for all Nigerians Initiative (CANI).

The Chairman of the new Senate Committee, the PTDF Review Panel inaugurated on Tuesday March 13, 2007, should use checks and balances to verify the identities of the contractors and the tenders and if the contracts for the supply of the computers have not been deliberately inflated to loot the PTDF and rip off the government.

2.The Galaxy Backbone Project

This could be another conduit to misappropriate the PTDF.
All the transactions should be scrutinized to the last digit.

3.The African Institute of Science and Technology (AIST)

This is quite a proactive initiative, but the PTDF Review Panel should probe the details of the budget and find out if there is no case of misappropriation from the beginning to the end.

4.The N250 million paid to Emmanuel Chambers of Chief Afe Babalola.

This transaction is nothing but robbery. Both President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Afe Babalola should be arraigned for prosecution.

5. The N1 billion paid to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) via a Prudent Bank cheque dated October 101h, 2006, for the so-called "OBJ 006".

This is the most ridiculous expendicture and even makes the vindictive allegations of gross misapplications and misappropriations levelled against Vice President Atiku Abubakar to be inconsequential.

President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter of defence reads more like an "apologia to trivia" and even makes him guiltier than Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the misapplication and misappropriation of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.