FORMER Vice President Namadi Sambo has refuted claims by a former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, over the 2013 power sector privatisation.
In a statement signed by his Personal Secretary, Yinka Ibrahim, in Kaduna, on Tuesday, Sambo described the allegations as “false, mischievous, and hypocritical,” asserting that they were intended to tarnish the image of the Goodluck Jonathan administration and the National Council on Privatisation.
The former vice president was the chairman of the National Council on Privatisation and he supervised the sale of the power sector to distribution and generating companies.
Usman, at a recent event in Abuja, alleged that the 2013 power sector privatisation process was driven by political interests rather than the technical and financial capabilities of buyers.
The former minister also claimed that political figures and officials in the Jonathan administration scrambled for stakes in the privatised power companies.
Despite handing generation and distribution to private firms in 2013, the country has struggled to achieve the promised improvements in electricity supply, with electricity supply remaining erratic and plagued by frequent system collapses.
Sambo, however, dismissed Usman’s claims as baseless, stating that he was not aware of any decision that compromised the integrity of the process.
He said, “My attention was drawn to a shocking statement attributed to Dr Usman, suggesting that political considerations influenced the selection of preferred bidders during the privatisation process. This is utterly ridiculous and a complete falsehood.”
Sambo stressed that the privatisation process was transparent, with anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission included as statutory members of the council.
Sambo said, “As chairman of the Privatisation Council, I carried out the responsibilities in line with established procedures and in the best interest of the nation, which was widely acknowledged by both local and international communities.
“It is on record that the minister of power at the time had to resign due to an apparent conflict of interest in the privatisation process.
“And to further ensure transparency in the process, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies: the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, were included as statutory members of the Council.”
The former vice president challenged Dr Usman to provide specific details of the alleged foul plays or names of persons or organisations that were politically favoured or compromised.
He further questioned the timing and motive behind Usman’s comments, noting that the former minister was deeply involved in the privatisation process and chaired several committees.
“It is surprising that he would make such accusations more than a decade later. One can only wonder if this is an attempt to curry favour with the current administration”, Sambo said.
Sambo also advised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to be cautious in dealing with Dr Usman, whom he described as inconsistent and disloyal.
“It is unfortunate to see someone who was so close to power, and indeed, the privatisation process now turning around to discredit it. This is a classic case of biting the hand that fed him,” Sambo added.