The Northern Parliament has demanded answers from President Muhammadu
Buhari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye
Sylva why the appointment of Alhaji Mahmood Adamu Atta into the board
of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is alleged to
have been changed by power brokers and replaced with someone whom they
say is of a questionable character.
The group expressed this during a press conference held at its office
in Kaduna on Thursday July 9, 2020, where it warned that such
replacement will further lead to credence that important elements of
governance is eroding the five-year administration of President
Buhari.
Speaker of the Parliament, Comrade Awwal Abdullah Aliyu, who
read the text of the briefing which was jointly signed by him and the
Secretary, Engr Musa Idris, said that the announcement of Adamu Atta
on the board of NNPC gave Nigerians hope that the ugly downward
slide of the present administration was being reversed.
"Gentlemen of the press, it is no gain saying that our country
is at a cross road in terms of the social contract between the current
5-year-old administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the
Nigerian people.
"Trust, that all important elements of governance is gradually eroding
this administration that was ushered in with fanfare, high hopes and
the expectation of much needed fresh air.
"An attempt was made to reverse the ugly trend by halting the downward
slide of the image of the administration by its recent appointments
which includes bringing hardworking, honest,affluent Nigerians with
unshakable integrity into the different roles to help the President in
shaping the affairs of some agencies and parastatals that have
acquired notoriety in the eyes of the public over the years-thus
entered the appointment of Alhaji Mahmood Adamu Atta into the board of
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), along with other
distinguished Nigerians raising hope that at last the president has
found the magic wand to rid the agency saddled with the mandate of
injecting live into the national economy of ineptitude, underhand
dealings and shortchanging of the nation in terms of revenue accrual,"
the Northern Parliament said.
The group explained that Alhaji Adamu Mahmoud Atta, a graduate of
Ahmadu Bello University with a Post graduate degree from University of
California, USA,needs very little introduction.
"He comes with a solid and comfortable private sector affluence, an
enigmatic family name and unrivalled open heart for philanthropy.
"This quintessential fellow has been and still is Chief Executive
Officer of MATAD Group Nigeria Ltd,member Board of WAPIC Insurance PLC
and a long-standing Member of the Nigerian Business Forum.
"Alhaji Atta has made his mark as entrepreneur and job creator in the
last 35 years among which are the creation/establishment of critical
job offering outfits for thousands
of Nigerians such as:
1.University of Technology in Okene Kogi State
2. Cement factory with some Chinese partners in Itobe, Kogi State
3. Fifth Chucker (One of the most outstanding recreational tourist
industry in Nigeria)
"We of the Northern Parliament,make bold to say that Alh.Attah stands
shoulder-to-shoulder with his contemporary industrialists anywhere in
Nigeria today.
"Alh. Atta is the harbinger of succor to the protracted indigent
Nigerian youth including the ‘Almajiri’syndrome in Northern Nigeria,he
and his team of likeminds built the
largest model Orphans and less privileged children plus Almajiri
Primary Schools located in Kakangi village in Kaduna State, the
school has a student carrying capacity of
12 thousand, 480 classes and 1,440 teachers all camped in the school.
"The project has so far gulped more than N1.2 Billion Naira and
counting," the group informed.
They said that they went to this length to show and lay the background
that will substantiate their next statements.
"Alhaji Adamu Atta in all modesty
is a very comfortable Nigerian; with a pedigree like his, it is beyond
him to seek petty favor nor engage in unnecessary bickering over an
appointment into a board in Nigeria.
"A situation where the president of Nigeria, reaches out to ask for an
individual to perform some national service requires that such a
gesture be dignified with acceptance, this wasthereason why when
Alhaji Atta was approached with the President’s request, he obliged in
a show of respect and support and willingness to be of service to the
President and motherland.
"We are here today to address you on the unfortunate development
regarding the appointment of Alhaji Atta making the rounds on social
circles, that his name has been
removed from the list of appointees signed by the media aide to the
President as published.
"That in his place, a certain Mrs.Lami Ahmed Onayi will now be the
board member.
"Incredibly baffling as this may sound, we are of the thinking that
certain elements are at work to derail a genuine effort of the Buhari
administration by making sinister moves to affect this change and
bring in a questionable character, who by all reckoning, does not
qualify to be on the board of the NNPC," they asserted.
The Northern Parliament argued that due to conflict of interest as
she is a key player in the petroleum industry, owner of a
petrolstation)let alone stand as replacement for the erudite Alhaji
Atta.
"The doctrine of conflict of interest says one cannot be a judge in
his own case!!!
"This unfortunate action if at all true,is coming at a time when the
Northern Parliament and Nigerians were rejoicing over the vision of
our President, Muhammadu Buhari on the reconstitution of a new board
for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
and its combination of Technocrats and Politicians to reposition the
Corporation for growth and prosperity as the hub of the Nigerian
economy," they submitted.
They continued by saying, "In the light of the
aforementioned,the Northern Parliament, a group of concerned
professionals and academics from the North is asking the Powerbrokers
if this is true and what went wrong?
"If competence, experience,selflessness is the key consideration for
bringing people to
support the efforts of Government,why would this administration allow
its name and reputation to be dragged in the mud? Why would Alhaji
Mahmoud Atta who did not
lobby for the job be appointed and then other outlet will truncate
such appointment just to spite him?"
"The Northern Parliament therefore, asks what are the offences of
Alh.Atta?
"Why deprive a man with such a distinguished background, coming from
the highly revered Atta Ibrahim Royal family of Ebiraland,the
opportunity to contribute towards charting the path of progress for
the NNPC and the oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria?" They queried.
They said that as such, the Northern Parliament and Nigerians demand
answers.
"Therefore, we call on the Authority and leaders to always be wary of
those who for their personal interests will truncate any genuine
efforts at moving Nigeria forward particularly at a time when Nigeria
needs to leverage on its best hands and brains at this period when
lowoil price has the potentials to make the country attractive for oil
and Gas Industry investments that looks to the future; this where
people like Alhaji Atta are most needed.
"Northern Parliament therefore,calls on President Muhammadu Buhari as
Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State to take a
closer look at what is happening with their efforts at reengineering
the petroleum sector less their hardwork pales into insignificance.
"Even as we deliver this open letter to Mr.President, it is worthy of
note that since the new presidential statement announcing his
nomination to the Board of NNPC was made public, as authorized by Mr.
President, there has no tbeen a counter-statement announcing the
withdrawal of his nomination.Who then has dared to change a
presidential directive?
"Nigerians deserve answers to thesequestions," they further probed.
The group called on President Buhari to come out clear on the
controversy.
"We therefore, call on the President as the father of the nation,to
use his revered office to correct any anomaly if any,in the
appointment of Alhaji Mahmoud Atta as member of the board of NNPC as
announced," they concluded.