Diezani Alison-Madueke Critically Ill In A London Hospital

Some family members of the immediate past minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke have appealed to Nigerians, especially her critics to let her be.

Mrs Allison-Madueke is said to be in a critical condition from an undisclosed ailment in a London hospital.

“Our daughter has been in hospital where is receiving treatment for some weeks now. She is currently under close medical observation. We learnt that the observation means that she has been unable to see
anyone outside close family members over the last few weeks.

“They have also discouraged her use of phones to avoid any risk of infection which will be extremely harmful for her.

“Diezani is responding well, but doctors are concerned about her movement and interaction given the intense treatment being administered.

“It is such an emotional time for us all as she is quite fragile and we are careful to keep her away from all the gossip and falsehoods being attributed to her in the media. We expect the media to respect the family’s feelings at this trying time,” the family said.

On those calling for the probe of the former minister, the source appealed for balanced coverage of some of the opinions being bandied around by different interest groups.

“The press, especially online media, should be careful to be professional and balanced in their reporting,” a family source added.

 

Source – kevindjakpor

I Have Done My Best For Nigeria – Alison-Madueke

Diezani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum resources, says she has done her best for Nigeria and have attained many firsts in the history of oil and gas in the country.

She noted that having performed optimally there is no need for her to seek any soft-landing from the incoming administration because she has not committed any crime. She also said the report that she has sought, but refused asylum outside the country was false. She said though she had stepped on big toes during her tenure, she would rather not go anywhere.

Alison-Madueke made the comments to journalists on Wednesday.

“I have not sought such assistance because I am not aware that I have been indicted of any crime that I will need a soft landing. Over the last four years, I have been severally and unfortunately accused and labelled in so many malicious and vindictive ways. I have explained these things and pushed back robustly on these accusations and I have even gone to court on many of them. Yet they keep being regurgitated.

“I think it is unfortunate, particularly when we are moving into a transition period and looking forward to an incoming government which is coming to take over where we have ended. For everything that has a beginning there is an end and that is not a surprise. What is the surprise is the sort of malevolence bothering on personal malicious libel to my person during this period of time.

“I do believe that I have done the best for Nigeria in this job and I have attained many firsts in the history of oil and gas especially in the reforms that we have done. In this period of time, I have stepped on many big toes, particularly the toes of the cabals that were in the industry when we came in.

“I have said severally that we will open up the industry to all Nigerians, and we have, but that is not to the pleasure of certain cabals. And I have been continuously maligned because of this. We have taken millions and in fact billions of dollars out of the hands of multinationals and their subcontractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through the Nigerian Content. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have come into the oil and gas industry because of our reforms.

“Quite frankly, I think as unprecedented as it is, it does not please everybody and that cannot be helped but let us remember the unprecedented reforms that have happened in the oil industry during our time, such as major gas reforms, the Petroleum Industry Bill, which has been completely revised, reformed and put into the hands of members of the National Assembly where it has languished for two years.”

She also spoke on the alleged missing funds from the coffers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as allegations of wasteful spending by her. According to her, some of the allegations were made because of the reforms contained in the PIB. She said:

“In that bill are all the reforms needed to tear NNPC apart, make it a National Oil company, an equity share company through transparency, accountability and responsibility and reduce corruption in the industry. We did all theses and we put them in place to reduce corruption, so for me to be tagged with various tags of corruption, $10 million jet purchases, who buys jet for $10 million dollars for goodness sake?

“And $20 billion missing money for which PWC had done a report and the $1.48 billion which is not missing, which is actually money transferred by the NNPC to NPDC which is a subsidiary and NPDC has actually started making payments under my directives. I have said during our time that there are gaps in the NNPC and I said that openly.

“But I can also say that at no time in Nigerian history in the oil and gas has the NNPC been as open and audited as it is today. It has been positioned to go forward in the industry. It is true that the revenue profile is not sustainable. But we have done our best and the Nigerian oil and gas sector is today in a better shape than it has ever been in terms of achievements that we have recorded.

“So let me state it clearly for the records that Nigeria is my country and I am not going anywhere. I love my country and I do think that I have done the best for my country and I would also like to point these malicious, malevolence, vindictive libels need to stop.

“We have done enough for this industry, we cannot please everybody. Yes, we have stepped on toes but we did that in the best interest of Nigeria and we have opened up the oil and gas industry to all Nigerians, thousands of Nigerians have benefitted from our reforms in the system.”

”Alison Diezani Madueke Never Made Any Donation To APC Through Me” – Senator Bukola Saraki

The attention of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s media office has been drawn to an online article alleging that the controversial Minister of Petroleum. Ms Diezani Allison Madueke who has been engulfed in series of questionable transactions made contribution to the All Progressives Congress through Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

This office usually will ignore such reports as we find it completely laughable, baseless and lacking any iota of truth. However, for the avoidance of any doubt and to keep with the renewed mandate of accountability and transparency, we find it necessary to assure the teeming Supporters of APC and Senator Saraki that at no time did Senator Bukola Saraki meet, discuss or had any dealings in any form or nature with Ms Deiziani or her agents.

Senator Saraki hereby challenges either the Minister, her agent, associates or any other person that might have any evidence or information contrary to the above to share same with Nigerians.

The last time Senator Saraki met with Ms Deiziani was in year 2012 when the Minister, her mother and her sister visited the Sarakis’ on a condolence visit over the death of Dr. Olusola Saraki, the father of Senator Saraki.

The alleged publication is total falsehood and completely mischievous therefore, this story can not fly or sell, rather, the promoter should find something else to cling on as they remain with a drowning party.

The credit of the success of General Buhari, and our dear party APC across the country can only be claimed by Nigerians in every nook and cranny of the federation who sacrificed their resources, time and energy to bring about the change this country deserves and that should not be tainted by any individual or group of people who stood as stumbling block to every step taken towards achieving this noble and worthy struggle.

Signed,

Bamikole Omishore

SA Media and Advocacy.

6 Countries Turn Down Alison-Madueke’s Asylum Request

No fewer than six countries have already refused to grant an asylum request by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Business Council for Africa (BCA) said in its just-released monthly report, noting that about US$ 1 trillion is the latest estimated figure of the looting of the Nigerian treasury between 1960 and 2005 alone.

The report, dated March 2015, focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections. It said the notorious Minister, whose impunity is known to have been closely-protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will be coming under the microscope for the first time in her Ministerial career.

“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that 6 countries have already refused to grant her asylum to live in their countries as she now wishes to leave Nigeria at the earliest possible opportunity,” it said.

BCA recalled President-elect Muhammadu Buhari lamenting that the rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption, one where stealing is not corruption but a way of life, and that his administration will pursue all public offices and individuals who are believed to be guilty of corruption.

It observed that despite an earlier promise, it is now understood that Buhari’s anti-corruption fishing net will include Ministers currently serving under President Goodluck Jonathan. Alison-Madueke’s departure from Nigeria is likely to be followed by several other PDP elders, party members and supporters as well as some former Government officials, as Buhari’s anti-corruption drive will be far-reaching.

“It will be very interesting to learn in the coming months exactly how far back in Nigeria’s history his administration will go in the pursuance of those who have robbed Nigeria of US$ 1 trillion, which is the latest estimated figure of theft from the Nigerian treasury between the period 1960-2005. Given that President Jonathan’s administration is considered the most corrupt of any of its predecessors, that figure is going to be considerably magnified, but whether the new President will wish to pursue former Heads of State is a matter of interest and considerable debate to Nigerian observers. It is this subject that is primarily responsible for Buhari’s success in winning the election as well as his campaign promises to eradicate Boko Haram, revive the economy and rebuild Nigeria to make its position as the number one country in Africa.

While BCA agreed that the March/April 2015 were “the most credible elections in Nigeria’s history”, it said they could not be called the most incorruptible.

On the contrary, it referred to them as the worst because of the amount of money that the PDP so freely and openly spent on trying to secure the re-election of Mr. Jonathan.

“The stories and reports from throughout the 36 States of the amount of money distributed by the PDP to elders, rulers, church leaders, unions and youth leaders amongst others in an endeavour to favour the voters towards the PDP has backfired badly,” the report said.

BCA said that if the 2011 elections were considered bad, the 2015 elections will undoubtedly go down as the most corrupt in Nigeria’s history, certainly since 1999, as the amount of money being distributed as bribes primarily by the PDP so very openly would readily confirm.

It reported that since November when campaigning began, President Jonathan and General Buhari during their travels made no fewer than 109 promises of what they intend to achieve if given the mandate in the presidential election.

“President Jonathan’s campaign continued to hinge on his party’s Transformation Agenda and the achievements of his Government in the last 4 years, particularly in the agricultural sector, job creation and the empowerment of women,” the report said. In that regard, it credited Jonathan as having achieved a great deal during his tenure.

It said it was however Jonathan’s failures – rampant corruption, insecurity, inability to eliminate the Boko Haram insurgency, failure in such sectors as the economy, and power in particular, and the overall feeling that he was ruled rather than led – that have cost him his re-election bid.

The report also stated that in the 2015 elections, up to 250 Nigerians lost their lives, describing that deplorable record as speaking volumes for the control achieved by the Police at the campaign rallies by the two main candidates.

It described the cost of the campaigns of the two main parties as “simply staggering”, noting that by the first week of March, Buhari had spent some N332.58 billion as compared to the expenditure of President Jonathan which amounted to N1.05 trillion.

“This is without taking into account the cost of other expenses for such items as campaign rallies, where the PDP has spent N1.06 billion against Muhammadu Buhari’s APC’s N595.08 million, and clearly demonstrates the desperate lengths that the PDP have gone to in order to try and secure the re-election of President Jonathan.”

Culled From SaharaReporters

Publish Forensic Audit Report Of Missing $20bn In NNPC – APCPCO Tells Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, to live up to their flaunted belief in the rule of law and due process, public probity and accountability, by acceding to the request of the National Assembly to submit the forensic audit report from KPMG on the missing $20 billion and go ahead to publish same in mainstream newspapers for Nigerians to assess or query the degree of transparency involved in the controversial transaction.

“Why should the President and the PDP develop the feet of clay like an immovable Colossus when the representatives of the people in the National Assembly asked for copies of the forensic audit report, which public outcry forced the government to procure in the first place?” queried Malam Garba Shehu, APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity in a signed statement on Monday in Abuja.

“So many respected experts on the national economy have condemned the wanton waste of the country’s hard currency earnings at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Worse still, those in charge have treated Nigerians with impunity by hiding the facts relating to petro-dollar trade from the taxpayers. Some of them have been gallivanting and globe-trotting around the world in luxury while their compatriots languish in poverty and squalor,” Shehu said.

The APCPCO Spokesman questioned the audacity of the President, PDP and NNPC in disobeying the NASS request to scrutinise the KPMG audit of an alleged grossly corrupt government agency (NNPC).

“Is the NNPC a sacred cow? And should the President be an umpire in a game to which he’s a contender, or a judge in his own case?” Shehu queries.

“Is the President and his Petroleum Minister telling Nigerians that no wrong has been done in terms of stealing of public funds? If corruption was established in any form, is anyone listed for punishment? It is pertinent to put all these information in the public domain for third party verification. The KPMG report funded by taxpayer’s money is itself a public property. And until this is done, the NNPC under Jonathan shall remain in public consciousness the abattoir for corruption, immodesty, dishonesty and impunity.”