The president, who in a press statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, thanked the former minister for his services to the country and wished him well in his future endeavour, was said to have decided to accept the resignation, following Nnaji’s admission that companies linked to him had submitted bids for one of the successor companies created from the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).Click on read more below to continue...
However, speaking to THISDAY Tuesday night on his decision to leave the cabinet, Nnaji said he opted to resign in order to save the privatisation and reform programme from those who might want to use ulterior motives to bring down the programme.Nnaji said he had met with the president Tuesday afternoon, during which he (president) informed him (Nnaji) that he was using his company as a proxy to buy shares on behalf of the president in Afam power station through the privatisation process.
On hearing this, he informed the president that rather than drag him (Jonathan) and the entire process through the mud, he would prefer to resign but reminded the president that he had brought it to his attention two weeks ago that a company he owned was part of a bidding consortium that had submitted bids for Enugu Distribution Company.
Nnaji explained that there have been all sorts of efforts to bring him down since his appointment as Special Adviser to the President on Power and later power minister, but decided Tuesday that it was best to leave rather that allow fourth columnists to mar the entire process.
“It is a huge conspiracy to scuttle the programme, but rather than drag the president and the programme down, I decided to tender my resignation,” he said.On what would become of the reform process on which he had worked so hard, the former minister said he had managed to put the power sector on track and all key reforms in place, adding “it would be difficult to derail it right now and I hope it would proceed as planned.”
When asked if the independent power company he owns, Gemetric Power would withdraw from the consortium bidding for Enugu Disco,Nnaji said''As far as I am concerned,the bid is still alive,I know that they have set up a new committee to re-evaluate the bids but I don't know if the process will still be fair after what has happened.''However,sources in the Presidency told Thisday last night that Nnaji had no choice than to resign because had he failed to do so,he would have been sacked by the President.
Culled from ThisDay
Culled from ThisDay
You did a good job Prof while you were minister of Power.Nigerians all over have been commending your good work.Keep your head high cos you were one of the best if not the best minister in Jonathan's cabinet.
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