‘Resign As Petroleum Minister, Reorganise NNPC’ – Falana Urges Buhari

Femi Falana, lawyer and rights activist, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to relinquish his position as the minister of petroleum resources.

On his assumption of office, Buhari took up the portfolio while he appointed Ibe Kachikwu as the sector’s minister of state.

Reacting to Kachikwu’s letter to Buhari in which he accused Maikanti Baru, group managing director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), of insubordination, Falana asked the president to reorganise the NNPC.

He said the reorganisation will bring about transparency and credibility in the operations of the corporation.

Falana also said issues raised in the letter and the presidency’s subsequent reaction show some of Buhari’s duties as minister of petroleum have been neglected.

He said apart from giving room for an unhindered administration of the ministry, the president’s resignation will also reduce the “undue pressure” on his health.

He said in order to conduct a thorough investigation into the grave allegations of the reckless contravention of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Mr. Baru should be placed on indefinite suspension while the presidency should refer the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“And once it is confirmed that the said $25 billion contracts were awarded without the approval of the NNPC board, they should be revoked while the recent appointment of the heads of the parastatals in the oil and gas industry should be reviewed in line with the constitution and the Federal Character Commission Act”.