Lawan: I will be disappointed if Jonathan shuns subsidy report

The committee held series of public hearings in January and February this year during which many mind boggling discoveries were made. The probe was instituted on January 8, 2012 following removal of fuel subsidies by the federal government on 1st January which led to nationwide strike and street protest which brought governance to its knees. […]

The committee held series of public hearings in January and February this year during which many mind boggling discoveries were made. The probe was instituted on January 8, 2012 following removal of fuel subsidies by the federal government on 1st January which led to nationwide strike and street protest which brought governance to its knees.

 

The report was presented to the House, debated, considered and resolutions passed in a session that is intriguing. However, the committee members alleged they had to struggle with so many pressures, threats, intimidation and even blackmail sometimes from unexpected quarters before they were able to write and submit the 205-page report with its 62 recommendations.

When Weekly Trust had a brief encounter with the lawmaker yesterday, he said the members of the committee were under a lot pressure right from the onset because of the interest involved in their investigation. “In the first week of the public hearing most of the marketers thought it was the usual kind of hearing where they could simply come down to Abuja and reach out to people, give them money and that will be the end of it.

“That was why the initial response in the first one week was a bit lukewarm, especially from the key owners of the various oil companies. But when they realised that was not going to work, they now had to respond and some others even decided not to appear, believing that it is still business as usual and nothing will ever happen,” he said.

But when that didn’t work, Lawan said, “those people in government in the relevant agencies and the marketers who are linked to top level politicians, governors, member of the National Assembly, ministers and members of the executive and even the various political parties also tried to leverage on that equally by exerting pressure on the members of the committee.”

When asked if the committee caved in to pressure, the lawmaker said from the outcome of the report it is very clear that we didn’t and it won’t work. While that was happening they were also employing every kind of tactics, blackmail and threatening our life.”

“We wouldn’t have had the courage to do the kind of things we did which Nigerians are all appreciative of if we compromised. The House also needs to be commended for the adoption of the report. The pressure now should be with the executive to ensure that the right thing is done.”

The Kano-born lawmaker said he is absolutely satisfied with the work they did which was to the best of their ability.

But what if the recommendations of the committee didn’t get to see the light of the day? “I will be absolutely disappointed (if the recommendations are not implemented) given the sacrifices, sleeping in the office for weeks, all what we went through. Obviously, we will be very disappointed for that report not to be implemented. I think it will be a disservice to this country.”

What will you tell Mr. President if you see him? “I will ask him to as quickly as possible implement those aspects that need to be implemented and refer those aspects to the relevant anti-corruption agencies that need to be further investigated, and I will ask him to simply carry out the various institutional changes that this report has requested for as a way of instilling confidence in Nigerians and reforming that sector so that it can now be in a better position to more transparently discharge its responsibilities in a more accountable and open manner.”