GEJ Dismisses Allegations of Last Minute Looting, Orders Immediate Release of NNPC Audit

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati just
released this statement:

We have noted with concern, the allegation
by the spokesman of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed that
officials of the Federal Government are
engaged in "last minute looting of the
nation's resources, rushed privatization of
key institutions and hurried recruitment
into the public service".

We also consider as most unfortunate and
uncharitable, the suggestion by Alhaji
Mohammed that the Jonathan
Administration is trying to "tie the hands" of
the incoming government merely by
continuing to discharge its constitutional
responsibilities until the
end of its tenure.

The Jonathan Administration which
continues to do its best to ensure a smooth
and peaceful handover over of power to
the President-Elect, General Muhammadu
Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and
combative frame of mind reflected in Alhaji
Mohammed's statement.

President Jonathan has done his best in
the past five years to discharge his
constitutional responsibilities for good
governance and effective leadership of the
nation.

Without any prejudice whatsoever to the
freedom of the incoming administration to
do as it pleases, within the confines of
extant laws when it assumes office, the
Jonathan Administration will continue to
discharge its responsibility to govern until
May 29, 2015.

In continuing to fulfil the obligations of his
office however, President Jonathan has
not, and will never condone any form of
unscrupulous conduct on the part of state
officials.

President Jonathan will also never
authorise any attempt to create any
problems for the incoming administration
as the APC spokesperson, who ought to
know that the outcome of the March 28
presidential elections does not imply a
cessation of governance, unjustly
alleges.

As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his
statement, the incoming administration will
be perfectly within its rights to review all
actions of the present government as it
may deem fit.

We see nothing wrong with that. After all,
the present Administration reviewed the
actions of previous governments on
assumption of office with resultant benefits
for policy and project implementation.

President Jonathan is also deeply
concerned by the continuing suggestions
that his administration still has anything to
hide about the unproven allegation that
about $20 Billion is unaccounted for by the
NNPC during his tenure.

To lay the matter to rest, President
Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the
NNPC Act, has directed that the full report
of the PWC Forensic Audit of the NNPC
accounts be released immediately to the
public so that all Nigerians will be properly
informed on the matter.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 27, 2015.