Thompson, who reiterated that he does not speak for the Federal Government neither is he an official spokesman of the President, stated that Buhari decided to take over the position of petroleum minister to check selfishness, greed, lack of discipline and unwillingness to adhere to the set rules guiding the sector.Thompson made the assertion while reacting to questions on the demand by some Nigerians calling for President Buhari to allow someone else handle the affairs of the oil minister in line with the provisions of Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to the section, the President, as the nation’s chief executive cannot occupy another executive position while in office. Hence, those calling for the President to leave the position are basing their demand on the fact that he might be concentrating too much effort on the oil sector to the detriment of other sectors, even as the position makes him to travel out of the country very often.
They also pointed out that adding the job of the petroleum minister to the role of the President and Commander-in-Chief would be too tedious and may be detrimental to the President’s health, especially as he degrades his position by constantly sitting with oil ministers during international conferences on oil and gas as well as meeting of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The critics posited that President Buhari should allow the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, to continue as a full minister or appoint another technocrat to run the affairs of the office, while he with his long experience in the oil sector, monitors them well to ensure that they do their job well.
Thompson in his response to the critics, said: “My personal opinion, I don’t claim to qualify to be classified to speak for or as government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so, no comments in that regard.
“However, the problem is more about selfishness, greed, lack of discipline and unwillingness to obey the set rules, than about who is the Premier Oil Minister. The failures are ideological, orientational, dispositional and ethical.
“Why do people fail to market, or choose to hoard products that State parastatals provide at normal or even lower prices?
“When will love for others and respect for public order replace these unethical races for boundless wealth, witnessed almost every last quarter of the year, and in the primitive acquisition of material possessions?
“Already, people are waiting for a restoration of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI)? Can’t we do what’s good and humane for a change, instead of waiting to be reminded? Therefore, whether as Oil Minister or not, PMB remains part of the solution to those problems, and relevant. No serious president sits still…, and dynamism is the word!”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that his biggest headache in the fight against corruption in the country is the nation’s judiciary. This was made known by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.naij
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