Yar’Adua Restates Resolve to Cleanse NNPC - Thisday

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has identified the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as one of the main focal points of his administration’s war against corruption.
Making this known in Washington D.C. yesterday, the president said in furtherance of his administration’s war against corruption, Nigeria shall subscribe to the joint United Nations and World Bank Stolen Assets Recovery (STAR) initiative.
The president’s accession to the STAR initiative coincided with his clarificaton that the partnership with the US/African Command (AFRICON) does not translate to an acceptance of the command.
Yar’Adua’s sudden volte face is coming on the heels of his meeting with President George Bush of the US at the White House, Thursday, during which he affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to partner with the US on AFRICON for the provision of security in the continent.
But in an interview with the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) in Washington DC , monitored by THISDAY, he said Nigeria plans to establish military bases in Africa to be managed by Africans for the protection of oil reserves.
He stated: "I did not accept AFRICOM in my discussions with Bush. I asked for assistance and told Bush that we have our plans to establish bases for African countries. We asked for training on weapons and training to establish our bases to be managed by our people.”
“Seven countries in the Gulf of Guinea will be involved,” he stated. The president said he asked for training from the US government. The US insisted it can only render help through its AFRICOM base in Stuttgart, Germany, said Yar’Adua.
The President claimed there was a misunderstanding of his comments at the White House on Thursday. It is a partnership, not an acceptance, he stressed.
His acceptance to partner with the US on AFRICOM during his meeting with the US president on Thursday, strayed from the opposition to the establishment of the command by the Council of States of which the president is the chairman.
Also, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Madu-ekwe, who is part of the president’s delegation to the US had himself stated that Nigeria would not support the presence of US troops on African soil under the auspices of AFRICOM. Full Story