Politics
Amidst $25bn saga, embattled Baru hosts N’Assembly members to ‘special dinner’
Reports emerged Tuesday night that embattled Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, may be trying to lobby members of the National Assembly, including members of the petroleum resources committees, in light of the $25 billion contract saga for which a probe has been instituted by the National Assembly.
Ripples Nigeria sighted an NNPC invitation card to a “special dinner for members of the National Assembly” to be held in Abuja on Tuesday night.
Specifically, the dinner with lawmakers was scheduled to hold at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja by 7pm.
It could not be immediately ascertained what informed what appeared to be a hurriedly planned dinner with the lawmakers.
But sources familiar with the NNPC saga however say that the GMD may have initiated moves to lobby the lawmakers in order to get a soft landing in the probe around allegations contained in the leaked memo of Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
Baru is currently facing a probe over awards of projects, worth over $25 billion. The embattled GMD reportedly bypassed his supervising boss, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as chairman of NNPC Board, to award the said contracts without following due process.
The Senate had subsequently set up an ad hoc committee, headed by Senator Aliu Wammako from Sokoto State. The probe has already commenced, although the GMD is yet to be summoned by the committee.
The said dinner is coinciding with President Muhammadu Buhari’s dinner with principal officers of both chambers of the National Assembly.
By Ehisuan Odia..
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yanju omotodun
November 1, 2017 at 5:41 am
This country is just too funny and am sure the stupid National Assembly members will grace the occasion as definitely there will be secret brown envelopes to shut their mouth up concerning the issue of $25bn.
When will corruption cease in Nigeria?
Abeni Adebisi
November 1, 2017 at 6:03 am
Definitely! All the key players will attend the dinner to get free food and their own cut of the $25bn fraud money.
Abeni Adebisi
November 1, 2017 at 6:01 am
No thing more, his aim is to lobby the lawmakers and others investigating him, of not why will a man under fraud investigation throw a dinner party? What’s he celebrating?
Animashaun Ayodeji
November 1, 2017 at 6:12 am
There’s really not a problem celebrating when you’re happy. Baru has refused to allow the purported fraud case affect him since he knows he’s innocent, he doesn’t need to be distracted by the investigation.
Anita Kingsley
November 1, 2017 at 6:35 am
Baru is quite smart, he knows our lawmakers are greedy and they only care about their stomachs and pockets. He knows what he’s doing
JOHNSON PETER
November 2, 2017 at 5:43 am
This is how they will continue to waste our funds if we don’t talk
Balarabe musa
November 2, 2017 at 5:49 am
But this is highly discouraging but I am sure baba buhari has made findings about baru and he is found guiltless