The Presidency has challenged the Chairman of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to mention the names of those who allegedly attempted to compromise him.

It also said that his recent altercation with some members of his committee was uncalled for.

Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who gave the charge in Abuja explained that the controversy surrounding the committee’s report was unnecessary.

He said that it was “politically orchestrated” and did not represent the purpose for which President Goodluck Jonathan set up the committee.

Okupe stressed that it was unfortunate for Ribadu to make such “sweeping statements” without substantiating it.

He noted that his choice as chairman of the committee was based on President Jonathan’s belief that he (Ribadu) “is somebody who cannot easily be compromised in spite of his belonging to the opposition political party.”

Emphasising the determination of the President in correcting the ills in the oil industry, Okupe stressed that the Ribadu’s committee was not a probe panel but merely a body set up to find how to fix the problems in the petroleum sector and move the country forward.

He noted that the leaking of “incorrect version” of the report of the committee to a foreign media was a most unpatriotic act by the person who did so.

The presidential aide added that there were clear discrepancies between what was leaked to Reuters and what was submitted to the President.

He said that public reactions to the report followed a pattern by some unknown persons, whom he accused of deliberately misinforming the public “to overheat the polity and cause disaffection and opprobrium against the President for doing what is right.”

“We are aware that Ribadu, to a certain extent, advertently or inadvertently but definitely unfortunately, has encouraged this negativism.

“For instance, on his facebook page a while ago, Mallam Ribadu remarked that he resisted overtures to make him compromise the report and rather than compromising the report, he stayed on the side of the Nigerian people.

“His claim of an overture to him to compromise the report is perfidious and false. We respectfully enjoin Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to be patriotic enough to name the proponents of this compromise.

“If Ribadu claims that by serving on the committee, he is on the side of the Nigerian people, on whose side is President Jonathan whose idea it was in the first place to set up the task force and approved the appointment of Mallam Ribadu as chairman of the committee?

“A cursory look at the report mischievously leaked to Reuters and other international news media and the one submitted on November 2, to President Jonathan and signed by Mallam Ribadu as chairman and Olasupo Shasore as secretary, would prove this discrepancy”.

Okupe noted that comparing the first paragraph of the report with the first item on the terms of reference given to the committee, it would show clearly that there is a contradiction as “the statement (that the committee has concluded its assignment in accordance with the terms of reference) is untrue as paragraph one of the terms of reference of the committee mandated it (which is to work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues due and payable to the federal government).

“Unfortunately and most regrettably, this paramount duty of the PRSTF committee could not be accomplished as stated in paragraph four of the covering letter signed by the chairman, Ribadu and secretary of the committee, Shasore”.

Okupe insisted that having stated clearly in paragraph four of the covering letter that the committee was unable to verify the figures in the report and was unable to conduct necessary verifications and reconciliations, “the committee failed to carry out a very critical part of its assignment”.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/news/corruption-presidency-challenges-ribadu-to-mention-names/

In other words the report is compromised

Amitex: In other words the report is compromised

Okupe failed to tell Nigerians that Ribadu was chosen by Jonathan to head the committee in order to shore up confidence in his government at a time Nigerians wanted Jonathan's head on a platter.

They thought if they showed Ribadu some money they will be able to tell him what to write or say like the shameless Oronsaye

That I think will be after the presidency has named the fuel subsidy cabal and the boko haram sponsors and sympathisers. Doyin if you are reading this do tell whoever is in charge to do this for nigerians first and Ribadu will follow. Talk of removing the speck in another eye while a log is embedded in yours. Cheap ass talk.