A case of an axe to grind?

Okonjo-Iweala

WHEN President Muhammadu Buhari set up a committee of four state governors to probe the management of NNPC and Excess Crude Account (ECA), mixed reactions, skepticism and optimism from Nigerians greeted the development.

The skepticisms is not unconnected with the fact that similar committee was set up by Late President Umaru Musa Yar Adua’s administration in 2007 with the then Ogun governor, Gbenga Daniel as its chairman. The committee sat once and nothing was heard about it again.

The optimism lies in the fact that a new government with a new character is in the saddle and expectedly things could be done differently.

But of much concern even before the probe committee concludes its work is the war of words and tantrums between a member of the committee, governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and and the immediate past minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-iweala.

It seems by the utterances of the comrade governor that the probe has been concluded even before the committee was set up. Oshiomhole apart from being a labour activist is also an economist, but he has become more vocal and sanctimonious than other committee members who include a seasoned banker and governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel and his Gombe State counterpart and former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ibrahim Dankwanbo.

On her part Okonjo-Iweala appeared to have goofed by retracting her earlier submission that the disbursement of N2.1 billion ECA fund was approved by members of Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) when she made a sudden u-turn to say that the approval was single-handedly given by President Jonathan. This looks belated, especially coming after the FAAC members denied given such approval.

But Oshiomhole appeared to have cried more than the bereaved, considering that he is not the only member of committee and not the only state governor battling with paucity of fund.

Or could it be true that Oshiomhole has personal score to settle with Madam Okonjo-Iweala over the latter’s refusal to approve the former’s borrowing request sometime last year as alleged by sources in the Debt Management Office (DMO)?