FG To APC On Alleged Missing $20 Billion: 'We Are Not Afraid Of Buhari's Plan To Probe NNPC'

The Federal Government has condemned the allegation by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lai Mohammed, that officials of the Federal Government are engaged in “last minute looting of the nation's resources, rushed privatization of key institutions and hurried recruitment into the public service. The Presidency described the suggestion by Mohammed that the Jonathan Administration is trying to “tie the hands” of the incoming government merely by continuing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities until the end of its tenure, as unfortunate and uncharitable. In a reaction to the statement, the Presidency in a statement signed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said: "President Jonathan has done his best in the past five years to discharge his constitutional responsibilities for good governance and effective leadership of the nation. “The Jonathan Administration which continues to do its best to ensure a smooth and peaceful handover over of power to the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and combative frame of mind reflected in Mohammed’s statement.” The statement added. “Without any prejudice whatsoever to the freedom of the incoming administration to do as it pleases, within the confines of extant laws when it assumes office, the Jonathan Administration will not stop to discharge its responsibility to govern until May 29, 2015. “In continuing to fulfil the obligations of his office however, President Jonathan has not, and will never condone any form of unscrupulous conduct on the part of state officials. “President Jonathan will also never authorise any attempt to create any problems for the incoming administration as the APC spokesperson, who ought to know that the outcome of the March 28 presidential elections does not imply a cessation of governance, unjustly alleges. “As Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit. We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present Administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation." To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has ordered the immediate release of the full audit report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, accused of diverting $20 billion oil money. This instruction is coming shortly after the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, pledged to launch an investigation into the claim made by a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi.