I must private NNPC even if they are going to kill me – Atiku Abubakar

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku
Abubakar, on Wednesday described the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, as a "Mafia organization."

Speaking during an interactive session with the business community in
Lagos, the former Vice President vowed to privatise the Corporation if
elected in the forthcoming election.

Abubakar declared that he would privatise NNPC even if doing so would
cost him his life.

According to Abubakar, the Corporation would operate better if not
managed by the government.

He said: "Let me go back to my experience. When we got into office, I
walked up to my boss and said "Sir, there are two mafia organisations
in government: one is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) while the other one is the National Electricity Power Authority
(NEPA).

"I said unless we dismantle these mafia organisations, we cannot make
progress. Let's privatize them… the long and short of this is that I
am committed to privatisation as I have said. I swear even if they are
going to kill me, I will do it (privatise NNPC).

"I asked a Nigerian professor based in America; I said 'Prof, do you
have ministry of petroleum in America?' He said no.

"I said, 'Do you have an organisation like NNPC over there?' He said
no. And America produces oil more than any country? He said yes.

"So I asked him, 'How do they do it in America?' and he said taxation
and I decided that I will go by taxation too."