February 28, 2007
Click Here to Download the Senate PTDF Report at the e-Library
Both President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, were this morning indicted by the Senate Ad-Hoc committee which investigated the activities of the controversial Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF). The committee, which submitted its report to the Senate this morning, specifically accused President Obasanjo of abuse of office and diversion of PTDF fund to purposes other than for which the funds were meant. But despite indicting both Obasanjo and Atiku in the management of the funds, the committee failed to recommend any punitive measures for both, preferring the Senate to decide on this.
The Senate committee also recommended the need for the National Assembly to show more interest in the activities of PTDF by exercising its oversight functions on the funds. The report also admitted in evidence testimony of the VP and this was substantially used by the committee to arrive at its conclusions. The ad-hoc committee led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, was set up last year by the Senate in the wake of the verbal brickbats between President Obasanjo and Atiku on the mismanagement of the funds. Investigations into the activities of PTDF last year by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led to the indictment of Vice President Atiku Abubakar who was accused by the commission of misappropriating the funds.
This led to the setting up of an administrative panel of inquiry by the Presidency which found Atiku guilty of mismanagement of PTDF. Receiving the report, the Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, thanked the committee and declared that he would personally sign all the pages of the report to prevent forgery. He said the time for rumour and fabrications are over and that the Senate would only work on facts. He assured senators that they would be given copies of the report and charged them to use the whole of today to study it so that they can make meaningful contributions to it tomorrow at the plenary session.
Meanwhile, the senate chamber was filled to capacity this morning as members of the public expected the upper legislative house to discuss Senator Arthur Nzeribe's motion calling on the Senate to pass a vote of no confidence on both Obasanjo and Atiku. The Senate, however, deferred the motion till tomorrow.
Dissenting Opinion of the Senate PTDF Ad Hoc Committee
By Tony Orilade/Abuja
Both President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, were this morning indicted by the Senate Ad-Hoc committee which investigated the activities of the controversial Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF). The committee, which submitted its report to the Senate this morning, specifically accused President Obasanjo of abuse of office and diversion of PTDF fund to purposes other than for which the funds were meant. But despite indicting both Obasanjo and Atiku in the management of the funds, the committee failed to recommend any punitive measures for both, preferring the Senate to decide on this.
The Senate committee also recommended the need for the National Assembly to show more interest in the activities of PTDF by exercising its oversight functions on the funds. The report also admitted in evidence testimony of the VP and this was substantially used by the committee to arrive at its conclusions. The ad-hoc committee led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, was set up last year by the Senate in the wake of the verbal brickbats between President Obasanjo and Atiku on the mismanagement of the funds. Investigations into the activities of PTDF last year by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led to the indictment of Vice President Atiku Abubakar who was accused by the commission of misappropriating the funds.
This led to the setting up of an administrative panel of inquiry by the Presidency which found Atiku guilty of mismanagement of PTDF. Receiving the report, the Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, thanked the committee and declared that he would personally sign all the pages of the report to prevent forgery. He said the time for rumour and fabrications are over and that the Senate would only work on facts. He assured senators that they would be given copies of the report and charged them to use the whole of today to study it so that they can make meaningful contributions to it tomorrow at the plenary session.
Meanwhile, the senate chamber was filled to capacity this morning as members of the public expected the upper legislative house to discuss Senator Arthur Nzeribe's motion calling on the Senate to pass a vote of no confidence on both Obasanjo and Atiku. The Senate, however, deferred the motion till tomorrow.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });