THE Senate adhoc committee which probed the corruption list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others indicted, saying they are free to contest elections.

Delivering the committee report on Thursday, its chairman, Senator Lawan Shuaibu, stated that persons who were in court over their indictments should not be barred from the April polls. According to the committee chairman, the impression being created by the publication of names of persons was that indictment absolutely disqualified a candidate from contesting elections.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/02032007/news/news1.html

Nnamani: Presidency Violated Laws On PTDF

Nothing Illegal In President's Actions, Says Ojo

FROM ALIFA DANIEL
(ASST POLITICS EDITOR)
SENATE President, Ken Nnamani, has restated his stand that the Presidency has been degraded on account of the pillaging of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

Nnamani, on account of his statement of a "degraded Presidency" when the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on PTDF turned in its report last Tuesday, said: "We are talking about billions of Dollars and billions of Naira being misapplied and not following the regulation, the guidelines set down.

"What are we talking about? If an ordinary man breaches the law, what do you do? You take the person to the court; perhaps you jail the person, isn't it?

"Now, all Nigerians would feel concerned. Are they not seeing anything strange? Unless we are deceiving ourselves, it is a fact that such revelation (in the PTDF saga) is what has transpired: the highest body we have, the symbol of Nigeria being involved in such misapplication of funds and total disregard for lay down procedures.

"If that is not degradation, I don't know whether that is promotion."

However, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Bayo Ojo, has refuted allegations of wrongdoing by the Presidency.

"The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) is technology related. So, to have said that the President and the EFCC disregarded the law is not so.

We did not disregard the law. We knew what we were doing when that was approved," he said.

Both Nnamani and Ojo spoke to The Guardian in separate exclusive interviews in Abuja during the week.

Nnamani, nonetheless, has come out in defence of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee that probed the activities of the PTDF), dismissing allegation of "compromise" against it by a member of the Committee, Titus Olupitan.

He described Olupitan's claim as unfortunate, adding that if the senator could substantiate the claim, the Senate would take drastic measures.

His words: "Such an unfortunate claim about compromise of the Ad-Hoc Committee is unsubstantiated. I can tell you that if my distinguished colleague can tell us to what extent or any element of evidence that can give the impression that the committee has been compromised, I want to assure you that we will take the most drastic measure.

"That is why I said that the time for propaganda is over. Let's face the facts, let's go through the issues."

GOD BLESS NNAMANI

This is just the beginning, when the final die is cast, all of you here will understand that politics is not a game for the weak-willed or chicken-hearted