The alleged circulation of non-existent July 2017 memo, predicting the likely shortage of PMS by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kackiwu has been described as a grand design to discredit and embarrass President Muhammadu Buhari and his chief of staff, Mr. Abbah Kyari.
According to a source, “There was no such memo let alone it been suppressed by so-called Aso Rock cabal.”
Explaining further, the source said: “Those of us who are familiar with the workings of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources are aware that since his removal as the GMD of the NNPC for alleged lack of adherence to due process, Kachikwu has not hidden his disdain for the Government of President Buhari, under which he currently serves as a junior Minister”.
The source explained that “It is therefore not surprising that at every opportunity, he resorts to campaign of calumny and blackmail against the government and those that are saddled with responsibility of managing the oil and gas industry. These have been his trade mark”.
Meanwhile, following wide circulation of the said memo online, and realising the implication and for fear of boomeranging effect, Kachikwu through the ministry’s spokesman has distanced himself from the said memo.
“Our attention has been drawn to a message making the rounds on social media of a purported memo by the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu to the President on the fuel crisis. The message and it’s content is false,” Idang Alibi, Director Press Ministry of Petroleum Resources said in a statement last Sunday while urging Nigerians to disregard the memo.
One source who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, told Frontiers News that the minister’s retraction is “weak and belated”.
“This was the same tactics they employed when he came up with the issue of non-existent $25 billion contracts. He and those he represent, are desperate to bring Buhari’s government down for selfish ends. This is very sad and Nigerians must not allow people who have vested interests to rubbish the good work the President has initiated in NNPC through Dr. Baru,” the source said.
“With the current reforms going on in the NNPC, the Federal Government is beginning to reap the benefits of a productive policy. NNPC is making profits in some of its subsidiaries unlike in the past. We know that this is not going down well with people who are used to the old ways of doing business”.
