*Pinnacle Oil: The Truth Buhari, Others Tell With Their Absence That Corruption Shouldn't Be Legitimized*

By Ikechukwu Nnamani

Nothing lays more credence to the fact that the culture of celebrating wealth without questioning its source is increasingly becoming unpopular than the failure of President Buhari to be physically present, to personally commission the Pinnacle Oil facilities in Lagos on Saturday, 22 October 2022.

Despite the hype he was going to personally perform the ceremony and cut the tape, and notwithstanding the intense lobby for that, Mr. president cautiously sent the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari to the event. He couldn't even send a cabinet level official like Timipre Sylver, Minister for State Petroleum. He also chose to present his brief address via zoom. This was a wise compromise between full endorsement of corruption and giving a little to the hawks who had lobbied for his physical presence.

The president was indeed wise. He was aware of the political revolution sweeping across the country the new electoral law he had signed is consolidating, unfolding on a twin pod of ethical and social regeneration. He was also aware it is driven by the young people of the country who have suddenly waken up to realize they no longer have a nation, no thanks to endemic corruption, especially in high places. This they are now determined to change for good and the president had to tell them he was with them, that indeed things had to change.

And, it wasn’t Buhari alone that stayed away. For an event of such magnitude to record the attendance of no dignitary of note, not even close industry players, beyond the host governor of Lagos, the Emir of Bichi aside the usual Enugu political and government crowd, evidenced an understandable apathy from decent Nigerians.

For one, it is no secret within the nation’s oil and gas sector and business circles how the company was founded. They know it is standing on a very weak moral foundation of monumental corruption and sleaze; that the principal promoter is a primary figure in many cases of humongous theft when he served his state as finance commissioner.

They know, as does Buhari too, that the way Pinnacle suddenly sprung from nowhere, was too good to be what it is touted, if not a sheer impossibility and against genuine industry operational realities. What was Peter Mbah before his stint in government to have pulled off the fit of attracting their so called 'consortium of banks' to finance the establishment of Pinnacle Oil? Of course those who know what money laundering is know the banks only 'lent' the monies their client had earlier hidden in their vaults.

Again, the many who stayed away were also very much aware of the heavy political milage those behind the programme sought to make out of it. They knew Mbah and his creators were so desperate for endorsement and legitimacy having been stripped to the bones of his integrity by the people of his state who have been demanding for recompense on the heavy looting perpetrated against them of which a part was used to fund the company soon after he left office.

They also know Mbah wants to become the governor of Enugu state, to continue from where he stopped as commissioner. So, they were not willing to aid this second coming as they could easily imagine what would happen when he becomes governor after what he did as mere commissioner. Mbah has the PDP ticket with Ifeanyi Ossai as deputy.

Both are business Representatives of former governor Chimaroke Nnamani and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who for years have been wheeling and dealing for them all over the world. They are now themselves billionaires from the change they keep, and have been promoted to full partnership. And now Chimaroke and Ugwuanyi have decided to totally take over Enugu state, they have to do what common sense indicates they would naturally do as greedy men on primitive acquisition since both have been governors and cannot come back to directly take charge. Mbah and Ossai have to be imposed on the state, to continue the looting for another eight years.

So, if these people were credible in all they say Pinnacle Oil is, why were there no other governor apart from Governor Sanwolu, who even nearly stayed away after learning the President had tactically kept his physical distance by not coming in person, and that the hall was filled with only Enugu state government crowd, led by the Secretary to the Government Prof. Simon Ortuanya who represented the state governor?

Nearly all the members of the Enugu state House of Assembly were there with about fourteen council chairmen and many other party people and friends of the Enugu government. All were on the bill of the state government, typifying the billions of Enugu taxpayers money Ugwuanyi have been frittering away and expending to market Mbah who has remained unsellable to them because of his antecedents and what he is coming to do.

As it is, there may not be much Enugu people can now do to recover what was taken from them to establish a private business in Lagos, to the benefit of Lagos state economy. They should however know the seamless evil interconnection between Chimaroke, Ugwuanyi, Mbah and Pinnacle Oil, and that it forebodes no good for them at all. For instance, on the board of Pinnacle Oil is a man named Sunday Anyaogu. He also doubles as the company's Chief Finance Officer.

After the cabals first operations in Enugu during Chimaroke's regime, among the companies Chimaroke set up was Rainbownet Ltd. Sunday Anyaogu was brought from the then Reltel, later Zoom, to Rainbownet as the Finance Officer. Rainbownet, alongside other companies, was liquidated by the federal government after it was found to have been founded by Enugu state government stolen funds. Chimaroke Nnamani, Chinyeaka Ohaa, Sam Ejiofor and Peter Mbah in their plea bargain, had agreed the companies should be liquidated in place of their going to jail.

Ndi Enugu, the same Sunday Anyaogu with others who had run Rainbownet and others of these liquidated companies, was in the hall at the Pinnacle Oil event, as board member, and employees of Pinnacle Oil. It is not surprisingly he is in charge of monetary affairs of the company. Like Rainbownet, like Pinnacle Oil. Now you know the bond and interconnection of these people and what such portends for your state. Buhari and others have done their part by partially and totally shunning their sham. It remains to be seen whether Enugu wants to be free or would remain in the evil clutches of Ndi Ebeano.