Abuja - Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, failed to appear before the House of Representatives’ Committee probing the power sector with Chief Obasanjo in his usual self, sparingly showing his disgust with the committee chairman for sending an invitation to a probe panel that was signed on the latter’s behalf.

The invitation letter had been signed by “one Sahmed” (in Obasanjo’s words), instead of the Speaker or the Clerk of the National Assembly, as protocol demands. The former president also objected to the “disregard” for his age and position, and wondered why a letter dated May 3, 2008 only got to him six days later.

Alhaji Atiku said he could not immediately get a plane back home from Dubai. He expressed desire to appear at a latter date.

The former president sent a letter and a written defense through his Special Assistant, Mr. Taiwo Ojo, to the probe panel, claiming he was indisposed, while his erstwhile deputy, Atiku Abubarkar, gave an excuse of not being able to secure a flight back home from Dubai. How true this is, only Atiku and his surrogates can tell. One wonders if such an excuse would have been given if he was invited to a social or favorable political gathering. Maybe the former VP was trying to avoid a face to face encounter with his former boss.

In the letter addressed to the committee chairman, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, Chief Obasanjo said: “After I have prepared my presentation, to put before your committee based on the invitation signed for you, I became slightly indisposed.

Since I have, on my own, decided to personally respond to your invitation, I do not intend to hold you up.

“I have a fairly comprehensive written submission which I am sending to your Committee through my Special Assistant, Mr. Taiwo Ojo.

“You will note in the paper my strong desire to personally present the insights and perspective of mine on power situation.

“I hope the presentation will satisfy the unspecified allegation, counter allegations and approvals that you referred to in your letter of invitation in addition to insights and perspective.’’

Obasanjo also expressed readiness to provide more information the Committee might need in the course of its assignment.

On his part, Alhaji Atiku sent words to the committee, explaining his inability to secure a scheduled flight back to Nigeria from Dubai.

However, former Finance Minister, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman, was present and testified. She posited that she did not breach any rule on the NIPPs in the course of her duty as Finance Minister.

She said it was the former Minister of Power, Senator Liyel Imoke, who advised former President Obasanjo on the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) and subsequently made a presentation to the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) on the projects.

According to her, it was her belief that with the information available, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the time took a decision that was in the best interest of the power sector of the country in need of urgent resuscitation.

Said she: “I was a member of the FEC (Federal Executive Council) and participated fully in the Executive Council deliberations on any matter that was brought before the Council, unless when I was absent.

“All memoranda that had budgetary implications were usually brought to the Ministry of Finance for comments by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) before being presented in Council. Our responsibility in this regard was to indicate whether or not there was approved allocation sufficient for the implementation of the project being proposed by the relevant ministry.

“Sometimes contractors or their representatives may take their ideas directly to the President. To the best of my knowledge, such proposals were usually passed on to the relevant ministry for advice. I cannot remember the Presidency ever sending such proposals to us for immediate implementation.”

“In the case of the NIPPs, I remember the then Hon. Minster of Power, Senator Liyel Imoke, had advised the President and subsequently made presentations to the National Economic Council, the Federal Executive Council and ALGON on these projects.

“Consequently, I believe that the Federal Executive Council and ALGON acted on these projects. Consequently, I believe that the Federal Executive Council using the information available to it at the time, took what it felt was the best decision on how to combat the electric power problems facing the country, knowing fully well that most economic activities were dependent on power.

“I wish to state clearly here that I will not act like Pontius Pilate by washing my hands publicly and denying my knowledge of the NIPPs having been a member of former President Obasanjo’s cabinet from 2003 to 2007.

“Attention must be drawn now to the fact that in matters such as this, my principal responsibility was safe-guarding government’s interest while effecting payments as directed by either the President or the Exco (Executive Council) with the relevant supporting documents, the reason for the payment and the authority for the payments all attached.

“In some cases, if it was not clear, we usually went back to the president to indicate our reservation, which resulted in such payments being delayed until all the issues raised were ironed out. Permit me to point out here that contract awards and supervision in the various ministries were not my responsibility.

“Mine was just to pay the ministries so long the supporting documents were all in order and I was satisfied that the government’s interest was well protected in the transactions,” she said.

Mrs. Usman, however, advised the probe committee to find out from the Central Bank (CBN) the status of Letters of Credit (LCs) that were opened in respect of the NIPP contracts.

“Please call on CBN, they will be able to give you so that you will know the utilized and the underutilized component of this LC that will help you to know how much has been spent as at today,” she told the committee.

Mrs. Usman said it was possible that some contractors violated due process by going straight to the President to seek his approval for proposals but added that she could not remember any instance when such proposals were sent to her ministry for immediate processing.

“I cannot remember the Presidency ever sending such proposals to us for immediate implementation,” she said, adding that such proposals were normally sent to relevant ministries.

Meanwhile, two former Speakers of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba and Alhaji Aminu Masari, showed up in the House yesterday, according to them, on a solidarity visit.

Speaking after the pubic hearing, Alhaji Na’Abba expressed his disappointment that Chief Obasanjo did not appear before the committee but said he was not surprised at the action of the former president who he said was not a democrat.

Alhaji Na’Abba said “you will agree with me while I was Speaker and while Aminu Bello Masari was Speaker, the President then was a President that was never on level with democracy. While most of the institutions supported us to uphold what we were voted to do, the executive arm of government never cooperated with us.”

On his part, Alhaji Masari said “for anybody to say the probe is not achieving anything, I don’t think that person is looking at the fundamental issue at stake. The fundamental issue is for us know as leaders that we will be called to account in or out of office.

“This will help people who are in various offices now, from the local government to the Federal Government, to know that the best way to do thing is to do them right because after leaving office you will come to account for your action,” he said.

Both of them agreed that the probe was addressing some issues that were fundamental to the power sector and accountability in the country. Na’Aba and Masari said the probe of the power sector by the Committee on Power and Steel was already addressing the fundamental issue of accountability in the country.

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