The attention of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report captioned, “EFCC Inaction Causes
Sinking of Petroleum Vessels”,
which was published on This Day newspapers of April
10, 2017.
For the avoidance of
doubt, the Commission wishes to state that, the engagement of Pinnacle Trading
and Investment Nigeria Limited, as auctioneer for the disposal of the product,
which was conveyed vide a letter dated January 16, 2017 was irregular as the
process leading to the company’s emergence didn’t satisfy the required due
diligence and strict procurement process.
The engagement of a
consultant like in the case of Pinnacle, was not solicited for, as it did not
have the approval of the Acting Chairman of the Commission. It was also not
advertised in any newspaper of the Federal Tenders journal. This is a clear
violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
The review of the
process led to a startling revelation that Pinnacle
Trading and Investment Nigeria Limited was not registered with the Department
of Petroleum Resources, DPR, a key requirement for the selection of such
auctioneer, and consequently lacked the experience and capacity to handle the
job.
Fully conscious of the
negative effect of a flawed selection process to the outcome of the process, the
Commission called for a review of the selection process, a measure that
consequently led to the termination of the contract.
Following the termination,
Pinnacle and their supposed backers have been doing the media tour in the
mistaken belief that the Commission would be forced to re-engage an already
flawed process.
The Commission wishes to
re-emphasis that its actions are transparent and always anchored on the
Nigerian national interest as opposed to selfish interests.
In regard to the matter
of ‘MT
GOOD SUCCESS’ and ‘MV THAMES’, the Commission will, as in all instances, be
guided by the need to be transparent and accountable to all Nigerians and will
not succumb to cheap blackmail in any guise whatsoever.
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