The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari government to investigate the USD16bn purportedly expended on electricity generation and distribution under the leadership of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan regimes.
This was contained in a release on Friday signed by CACOL Coordinator for Media and Publications, on behalf of its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran.
It said though, former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has claimed he has been severally probed by the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) he should be probed by an independent and impartial regime.
It reads: “While we agree that government is always a continuum, especially under a democratic setting, when one considers the humongous amount Nigeria made under the PDP regime and how most of those funds were mismanaged without anything tangible to show for it, then one shudders that a huge proportion of those earnings were earmarked and spent on provision of electricity with only much darkness to show for it.
“Even many other African countries like Egypt, Angola or even South Africa, with well over 50, 000 megawatts between them, never expended half of such amount to arrive at where they are today.
“Though, President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government may not have single handedly exhausted the whole of the USD60, 000 in generating power which, until 2015, only hovers between 2,000- 2,500 megawatts, Nigerians generally, have a right to know how much of the said amount was actually spent, how it was spent and what was actually achieved with it by the successive regimes under those years of locusts.
“Moreover, such probes will lay to rest, once and for all, the wrongful notion that it is a taboo for past regimes to be made accountable for their deeds while they held sway. Accordingly, we support the Muhammadu Buhari’s regime in his quest and would admonish him not to leave any stone unturned in clearing the haze surrounding that era under his second coming.
“In same vein, we reiterate our traditional position concerning the presidential library which Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, used his position as the president of Nigeria to request for public funds, running into billions of Naira to build at his Abeokuta land and covet as his own. In saner climes, such efforts are legally and morally frowned upon.
“This is one of main reason we advocate for government to probe such practice and make a pronouncement on it. While we are not opposed to naming of such edifice after him, we advocate for partial and negotiated forfeiture of its ownership as a national monument, while some monetary compensation may be given for the landed property, according to his personal and family commitment to the said property.”
