Embattled former minister of power, who was sacked from office, Tuesday, has adjudged the reason for his departure: adding that his exit was voluntary. In his words," it was done to protect my integrity and shield President Goodluck Jonathan from attack."

In a statement issued, Wednesday, Prof. Barth O. Nnaji, said, he voluntarily resigned to preserve his integrity, which had come under serious scrutiny and attacks.

He opined that he felt that his resignation would reduce the controversy surrounding his activities.

He stated that the serious attacks majorly came from powerful vested interests who have been resolute to ensure the soiling of his image and finally getting him out of office.

The former Minister, who expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan, thanked Nigerians for their support while he fought hard to improve the situation of public power supply in the country.

Hear him:

"This resignation is also to ensure that there is no spill over of these attacks to the President who is working very hard to transform the nation.

"I would like to reiterate that before I accepted to serve as minister, I resigned my directorship of all companies that I had interest in and put my shares in those companies in a Blind Trust; this means that I was not privy to the day-to-day business decisions of those who ran this Trust.

"In addition, I publicly declared the participation in the privatisation process of a foreign company that did business with a company that I had interest in. This fact came to my knowledge only during the course of evaluating the consortia that were bidding for PHCN successor companies.

"Consequently, I also voluntarily recused myself from participating in the selection process. These actions, I should think, are in line with the finest traditions of transparency and accountability in governance.

"I feel particularly proud of the fact that my exit comes at a time that the administration has been able to generate and supply an unprecedented quantum of steady, reliable electric power in the history of our nation,"

"I am confident enough to allow history and the Nigerian people to judge my performance on the task that I accepted from the President."

Continuing, Prof. Nnaji, applauded the staff of the Ministry of Power for their dedication to duty, hardwork and patriotism in spite of all the challenges they faced.

He added that his resignation now gives him the opportunity to go back to his firm and the integrated power projects, which have been designed to accelerate the development of the nation.

Full text of his Press Statement:

Prof. Nnaji Thanks President, Nigerians for Support

Prof. Bart O. Nnaji has expressed heartfelt gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan and to millions of Nigerians who have supported him in his robust effort to improve the situation of public power supply in Nigeria these past 14 months as Minister of Power.

“I feel particularly proud of the fact that my exit comes at a time that the administration has been able to generate and supply an unprecedented quantum of steady, reliable electric power in the history of our nation,” he said in a statement.

Prof. Nnaji stated that not many Nigerians have had the privilege of serving the nation twice as minister and that he is grateful to have served this government in the capacity of an adviser and a ranking cabinet minister in a very challenging and complex sector.

“I am confident enough to allow history and the Nigerian people to judge my performance on the task that I accepted from the President,” he said.

Before his appointment as Minister of Power, Prof. Nnaji was the Special Adviser on Power to President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power. He had in 1993 served in the capacity of Minister of Science and Technology.

He explained that he had to voluntarily resign the office of minister to retain his integrity which has in recent days come under scurrilous attacks by powerful vested interests that were hell bent on besmirching the integrity and reputation that he has painstakingly built over the years.

“This resignation is also to ensure that there is no spillover of these attacks to the President who is working very hard to transform the nation,” he said

“I would like to reiterate that before I accepted to serve as minister, I resigned my directorship of all companies that I had interest in and put my shares in those companies in a Blind Trust; this means that I was not privy to the day-to-day business decisions of those who ran this Trust.

“In addition, I publicly declared the participation in the privatization process of a foreign company that did business with a company that I had interest in. This fact came to my knowledge only during the course of evaluating the consortia that were bidding for PHCN successor companies. Consequently, I also voluntarily recused myself from participating in the selection process. These actions, I should think, are in line with the finest traditions of transparency and accountability in governance.”

Prof. Nnaji said that his resignation gives him the opportunity to go back to his integrated power projects which have been designed to accelerate the development of the nation.

He paid a glowing tribute to the staff of the Ministry of Power, Power Holding Company of Nigeria and other agencies for their "dedication to duty, hard work, patriotism and commitment to the common good which have, in spite of all odds, completely moved the power sector in a new direction to the benefit of all our people"

He enjoined the staff of the Ministry and its agencies to remain focused on the objective of delivering reliable, steady power to the nation and to accord his successor the same level of cooperation and commitment in order to achieve the goal.

Prof. Nnaji also expressed gratitude to Nigerians from all parts of the country and even abroad for their ceaseless messages of support and solidarity since his resignation was announced yesterday.



Ogbuagu Anikwe

SA (Media) to Hon. Minister of Power

Federal Secretariat

3-Arms Zone

Maitama Abuja

Tel: +234 816 685 5842

He explained that he had to voluntarily resign the office of minister to retain his integrity which has in recent days come under scurrilous attacks by powerful vested interests that were hell bent on besmirching the integrity and reputation that he has painstakingly built over the years.