PDP tasks governmet on alleged N378b NLNG scandal

S’Sudan woos Nigerian energy investors

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to clear the air on the N378 billion Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) proceeds allegedly diverted as oil subsidies. It therefore urged the National Assembly to investigate the matter with a view to unraveling who authorised the alleged withdrawals as well as the beneficiaries.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP stated: “Nigerians were startled by revelations of how the funds from the NLNG, an agency under President Buhari’s direct supervision as Minister of Petroleum, were secretly lifted and spent without the appropriation of the National Assembly.

“Available intelligence showed that the presidency cabal cornered the money under the guise of subsidy payments but allegedly diverted a huge part of it to members of the cabal and some key APC leaders which they used to finance their wasteful lifestyles, including acquiring posh property within and outside the country.”

The party noted that “such humongous corruption and stealing of trillions of naira in the oil and gas sector are directly responsible for the biting economic recession and its attendant high cost of living, acute hunger and starvation, poor living standard, dilapidated infrastructure, escalated violence and high mortality rate in the country in the last three and half years.”

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Minister of Energy and Dams, Dr. Dhieu Mathok, has enjoined Nigerians to invest in his country’s LNG industry.He spoke yesterday after a meeting with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike at Government House, Port Harcourt.”We are commercialising the NLNG industry in South Sudan. That is why we are looking for partners who can develop our energy sector,” he said.

The minister told his host that he was pleased with the infrastructure on ground, urging the citizens to support the governor in his quest to transform the state. Mathok observed that there were some developmental projects in Rivers which his home country would like to replicate. Wike, however, told his guest that the state has for decades been an investment destination owing to its serenity and rich endowments.