Braithwate, Others Laud Oil Sector Probe

Some politicians have praised the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, for inviting the EFCC to review all payments made for subsidies on petrol and kerosene.

However, they advised the minister to give the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a free hand to carry out the investigations.

The minister had in a statement invited the EFCC to review all payments made for subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and Kerosene.

The statement also asked the EFCC to take all necessary steps to prosecute incidents of fraud, over invoicing and related illegalities in an open and transparent manner.

In separate interviews with The Tide in Lagos, the politicians described the minister’s action as a step in the right direction.

Dr Tunji Braithwaite, a former presidential candidate of the National Advanced Party (NAP), applauded the minister but called on her to step aside during the investigation.

“That she invites the EFCC to come and investigate is one step in the right direction. Basic due process dictates that she should step aside. So, she should step aside so as not to influence EFCC’s investigation.’’

Public Relations Officer of the KOWA Party,Professor  Oluremi Sonaiya, also shared the call for the minister to step aside during the investigation.

She noted that the EFCC was not merely coming to investigate an agency under her ministry but her office as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

‘’She ought to step aside or the government ask her to step aside so that the people who will come and do the investigation will have free access.’’