The reasons why Jonathan forced Barth Nnaji to resign

 

There were indications yesterday that the former Minister for Power, Barth Nnaji was forced to resign by President Goodluck Jonathan following the alleged conflict of interest between his office and the ongoing privatization of the power sector.

Nnaji, a Professor of Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Robotics, was stopped from achieving his aims of increase Nigeria power supply to 6,000MW by December in order to reduce the epileptic supply that has held Nigeria down, industrially.

“Daily Post” gathered that the alleged abuse of office was in conflict with the Performance Contract Agreement which ministers signed last Wednesday and the Oath of Office to which they swore at inauguration.

It was further gathered that a company, Geometric Power, in which the former Minister allegedly has interest, was involved in the bids for the privatization of Afam Generation Company Limited and Enugu Distribution Company Limited.

Geometric Power is said to have a minority stake in the Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited, which submitted technical and financial bids for Enugu Distribution Company on July 31.

Also, one of the consortia bidding for Afam Power Plant, O and M Solutions of Pakistan, was once Geometric Power’s contractor.

It was also learnt that security reports allegedly implicated Nnaji, who sat transfixed in office as at 9.40pm.

According to a source, the ex-minister was in the middle of a meeting at about 4pm when he was summoned to the Presidential Villa by the President who told him to resign.
The source, a senior government official, said: “The ex-Minister and his officials in the Ministry of Power were holding a meeting at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity with labour leaders on the exit package of disengaged PHCN workers when he   was summoned to the Villa.

“Oblivious of what fate that was awaiting him, Nnaji left instructions on how the negotiation should go.

“But when he got to the Villa, the President told him that reports of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) and security agencies indicated that he could not divorce his personal interest from official matters.”

The source claimed that the President wasted no time to tell Nnaji, “Go and turn in your letter of resignation.  I wish you the best.”

Another source said: “All attempts by Nnaji to justify the fact that he had left the board of Geometric proved abortive.”

Apparently, overwhelmed by the manner – sudden and shocking – of his resignation, Nnaji could not immediately break the news to the key directors in the ministry.

Another source added: “He remained in his office to tidy up his desk. We later went to him when we heard the news. He simply said: “it is true but I did my best. I had divorced myself from Geometric Power to serve this nation. My interest was put in a blind trust.”

Although Nnaji, who felt much concerned about his integrity, had wanted to address the media, the session was called off last night.

As at 9.40pm, he was still in the office, preparing his handover note.
It was in line with the resignation soft landing given to Nnaji that the Presidency issued a statement that he had resigned