Daily Trust - the online edition

The former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Adams Oshimole has called for a comprehensive probe of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s eight year administration in view of the recent revelations about the massive fraud and corruption that took place during his tenure.

He called on the National Assembly to immediately summon the former President to come and give account of his stewardship.

Oshiomole, who is also the governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC) in Edo State, made the call yesterday while speaking during the 2nd Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja

He lamented that former President Obasanjo had all the opportunities to over-haul the electricity sector but he failed to utilise them. Rather, the former president allegedly diverted the money budgeted for that purpose to his personal use, Oshiomole added..

" It was unfortunate that former President Obasanjo inflicted so much pains on ordinary Nigerians in the name of reforms ,asking people to pay so much for a commodity that God has endowed us with, but the man was busy milking them dry,’’ the ex NLC president noted.

However, Comrade Oshiomohle commended President Umaru Yar’Adua for reversing some of the bad policies of his predecessor, like the sale of Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.

The former labour leader also advised President Yar’Adua not to contemplate increasing the price of petroleum products for now as doing so will inflict more hardship on the people, moreso now that the price of foodstuff has risen beyond the reach of average Nigerians

Minister of Labour Dr Hassan Usman who represented the President at the occaision, was not comfortable with Oshiomole’s comments. He decribed the exNLC leader’s statement which alluded to drilling oil as ‘’ irresponsible’’. According to him, to call for the stoppage of drilling oil means that ‘’we are not giving the present regime the benefit of doubt and if the government is making progress, it is good to give such a government a chance".