Why oil cabals are after me, Alison-Madueke
Alison-Madueke
Says report on exile is false
IN her first major public reaction to media scrutiny about her tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke yesterday, said that she has been persecuted by those she called ‘cabals in the oil industry’ who were not happy about the reforms she had introduced into the sector in the overall interest of majority of Nigerians.
And for those peddling rumours that she was seeking asylum for yet-to-be identified offences, the minister said they would be disappointed.
Blaming such reports on agents of international oil cabals who, she said have been disallowed from milking the country dry, using their local agents.
The minister said she had no intention of going anywhere, because she has not committed any crime.
She has also decried insinuations that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was delaying to remit to government the $1.48 billion (N294.5 billion) uncovered by a recent forensic audit, adding that remittance had started.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents when she emerged from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, Alison-Madueke, who is also the first female President of Oil roducing Exporting Countries (OPEC), particularly faulted the observation of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last week that the NNPC was yet to comply with the directive to remit the $1.48 billion identified by the Price Water House Copper (PWC) forensic audit into the Federation Account.
She said the corporation had indeed, started remittance.
Her words: “The PriceWaterHouseCopper (PWc) forensic audit that was done few weeks ago in its recommendation, mentioned that $1.48 billion was owed by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for a block that had hitherto been assigned from the NNPC to NPDC which is its subsidiary.
They felt that the right process would be that NPDC will refund the money to the Federation Account. And NPDC has apparently started the refund and it is also in discussion with NNPC and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on same. So the refund has actually begun.”
On the allegation that she has been running from pillar to post, including seeking the assistance of former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar to save and protect herself from some of the actions she took, Alison-Madueke dismissed the report, noting that Abubakar himself had addressed the matter sufficiently.
She said: “I have not sought such any assistance because I am not aware that I have been indicted of any crime that I will require 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.
“So let me state it clearly for the records that Nigeria is my country, just like it is any person’s and I’m 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 out that these malicious, malevolent, vindictive libels coming out of places like Osun Defender and other faceless online and other entities need to stop.
“We have done enough for this industry. We cannot definitely 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 and thousands of Nigerians have benefitted from our reforms in the system.
“And 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.
“During this period of time, I have stepped on many big toes particularly the feet of the cabal members in the industry when we came in. Because 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 and we have taken millions and in fact billions of dollars out of the hands of forming multinationals and their subcontractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through 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.
“In that bill are all the reforms needed to make NNPC a National Oil Company, an equity share company through transparency, accountability and responsibility and reduce corruption in the industry. We did all these 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 Pricewater Copper (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 directive.”
Alison-Madueke said the NNPC under her was the first to admit openly that there are gaps, insisting that is only during her tenure that the corporation been this open, transparent and audited.
Commenting on the emergence of long fuel queues, she blamed it on the distributors insisting that there were enough petroleum products available for Nigerians. Alison-Madueke said: “This is very unfortunate and you know that product supply and distribution have been one of the high points of this administration when we came in. We have kept queues to the barest minimum. We have moved away from the challenges of the past and ensured through our various flexible product arrangement that we kept Nigeria wet with fuel supply.
“Unfortunately, you are coming into a transition, whenever certain things are happening, intruders will hijack the process and certain amount of hoarding taking place for various reasons. This is what we are experiencing and there is no reason for this because our reserves are enough to keep the country wet with products throughout this period.
“I will plead with marketers to make the fuel available. PMS is available, make it available to Nigerians. We have worked so hard to build the system and we don’t want it distracted in these latter days.”
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45 Comments
This woman really wants to swear that she never stole any public fund? Or does she not know what corruption means? I have to assume that she does not understand what corruption means, otherwise, she should be having sleepless nights, because she will go down on record as the worst Petroleum minister in Nigeria’s history. If she thinks that her new efforts to befriend the press and try to sanitize her reputation, and also play like Jona, who insisted he was winning by 2 million votes, when he was losing, and put up a front, it will not work!
People can see through her acting. Soon she’ll be answering questions that she wouldn’t answer before when asked nicely. All the lawsuits she filed to evade being asked questions about her so called job. Diaris God O!
your speech is wrapped in hatred. what evidence do have to prove she has stolen public money? you think that buhari will just go about jailing people. you talk about the nigeria press that derive joy only in painting the image of their country black before the whole world. what a press it is.
Look, don’t try to defend the indefensible. Someone tells you that $20 billion is missing form your Department and you act as if they are bothering you. Then Stella Oduah out of vindictiveness, exposed her private jet flying activities, the NASS asks you to come and explain, you use every means possible to prevent being accountable, tell them they are harassing you? In the absence of any explanation to the Nigerian Public, we have every right to label her as corrupt and thieving! Google her and see what the world says about her too!
the world is only echoing our local media, who takes joy in damaging the image of their own country. corruption is a global challenge, but we make ourselves look like the most corrupt people in the world via our media projection of the country’s image, and the world has no option than to call us what we call ourselves. the press cannot report anything good about their own country. we cannot have a better nigeria with our attitude remaining the same.we must reform the way see and talk about ourselves before the world. we should understand the fact that corruption in nigeria is systemic, it is institutional, the people operating in the systems are mere slaves to it. we tend to think of fighting corruption in nigeria as asking EFCC to send a person to jail. it is mere deceit. it is like climbing a tree from the top, like treating a symptom and not caring about the cause. even the anti-corruptions agents are instruments of corruption because they are selected family members of the power that be to fight those who are not in their good books. if you want to truly fight corruption adjust the institutions to close the holes that leads to stealing of public fund, which is the only thing we see as corruption nigeria.
What of your brother Fani kayode ? He did not still our money when he was minister of Avetion ? Right
EFCC has probed FFK for over 6 years now, from 47 counts and hundreds of million naira fraud, his case has reduced to 3 counts and one million naira fraud, N1 million?! Please, even a child knows that your time is better spent going after diezani for $20 billion than going after FFK for $6,000.
Some Nigerians think that Buhari will spend much of his tenure in probing and jailing people. If such is his primary aim in governance, let him prepare himself to indict Nigerians, many of whom are in his APC.
and the people they think he should jail are southern officials that worked under GEJ. they are not asking him to fight corruption for corruption sake, they are only asking him jail GEJ and his officials. because if buhari is out to fight corruption in the true sense of it, he will be shooting himself on the leg. they will soon find out that he cannot fight corruption by jailing past officials. it is a matter of time.
You talk about corruption,who is not corrupt in nigerian government both past and present?
Lots of people, all the silent heroes that never make the press. How do you think Nigeria still exists, because of the heroic work of the silent heroes. People like Diezani would have destroyed Nigeria.
You know like how it is when you talk, and talk, and talk – almost to a lamentable level to some one about something dear to you; or about your opinion/perspective about some issues; and the person listened on with this look of doubts/cynicism only to retort ‘ na you sabi’ in our local parlance? It means your efforts are useless…
Most of the times people accusing and complaining are the people who miss opportunity to steal. If they think that she is guilty let them sue her to the court or they should withdraw their accusing fingers. Others accuse for ethnic bias only. If your accusation is correct post your evidence.
We await the outcome of the NNPC probe.
We all thought oil cabals put you in office! They hate you now? sorry my sister. Maybe because you are useless to them now.
The best Petroleum Minister Nigeria ever had, We appreciate everything you did for the Country. There are those people who felt any oil minister that is not Yoruba or Hausa automatically translates to corruption. Worst of the blackmail are those who see fairness, equity and justice as a crime. But, what we will not condone or accept is the status qua where murderers like Theophilos Danjuma along with his Northern brothers owned 95% of oil well that belongs to the people of Niger Delta, and anything that opens the market to real owners of the land constitutes in their mind corruption. We will fight the status qua by any means necessary.
You absolutely lost me with the word “BEST” . Any Nigerian threshold for best is so low anybody can meet it..Without playing the normal ethnic game, can you tell what Diezini achieved in 4 YEARS. The simple task is to make the refineries working at optimum. We attended the same University in DC in the 80.s. Honestly she did not have what it takes to run such a complex organisation. Her work experience is not what got her the position so I am not surprise she performed so poorly. FYI, I know her better than photo oops. She is not that smart.
Those people that you felt that had the qualification to “run” such a big organization what were their accomplishments between 1976 till 2011? How far did the refineries worked in their “capable” hands? Buhari was once the chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, what were the health of our refineries under his watch? What changed under his watch? We should leave ethnic sentiments out of this, there has never been a petroleum minister since all the Hausa and Yoruba crooks ran down our refineries and looted our treasure for endless trips to Mecca and marriage to multiple wives that can be compared to the most intelligent and most transparent, and most knowledgeable minister Nigeria ever had. This woman became the “first” female in the history of OPEC, to be its CHAIRMAN. Until we start celebrating our own very best and not be blinded with “Igbophobia”, no prophet can save Nigeria, definitely not Buhari that still need to account for 20 billion missing oil money. We want audit, but it most be “independent” it must “foreigners” and it must be “ALL ENCOMPASSED” meaning from Genesis till the Present.
Rubbish.! I repeat, just try nonsense. The way they treat Gboko aram is the way they will treat you.
OBASAJO WAS PRESIDENT FOR GOOD 8 YERS AND ALSO MINISTER FOR PETROLEUM FOR 8 YERS .
DO you want to tell me that Obasajo did not still our oil money ?
You are only making noise. That is the nature of south-south people. If you had experienced war before you will hide your face. Go and ask those that experience civil war they will tell you the story.Try nonsense, you will eceive Gboko aram treatment. Small boy for that matter
I think after this my comment reasonable people should just ignore you and your comments. Your comments so far has shown who you are.
To some fools, everything is “ethnic and tribal”. Wake up !!
I am currently a freedom fighter. Nobody in Nigeria, no matter his position or authority, no matter his religion or tribe will be allowed again to marginalize or neglect South-East or South-South zones in the national scheme of things or decides our fate in matters of political or economic interest, that was yesterday. We are very much committed to fighting this war to its logical conclusion against anyone that wants to oppress us or even attempting to intimidate us, and the earlier “all of us” comes to that understanding, the better for mutual respect, for a mutual benefit, and for a better Nigeria. WE HAVE BECOME OVERLY EMBOLDENED TO BACK DOWN NOW
Have u experience war before ? my brother lets put aside this sentimental and selfish statement and lets build Nigeria together. for almost 6 years now a south south man is at the helm of the affair in this country what significant project can you point to in the south-East or South-south? for how long are we going to continue to operate on the platform of religion, ethnicity and region? There is no single freedom fighter in the south-south event has shown that everybody is just looking for an avenue to cut from the national cake shikena. lets give peace a chance.
Ol boy, cool down your temperature and stop venting and vaunting uneccessarily. War does not pay ANY PARTY.
He is a small boy, he was not born during the second republic
CORRECTION Please: sorry, south-east is still as it was during the civil war. But south-south is NOT the way it was during that war. To be clear, Edo and Delta States were not part of the Eastern Region. No, they were Bendel State, originally part of Western Nigeria.
Nevertheless, we should concentrate on being one, one-Nigeria, than regionalising issues. If I may ask, what difference is there between what is being put forward and the South African Xenophobia??
Buhari must understand that a return to the status qua of Northern domination of oil wells in our region will be an invitation to a catastrophic end of Nigeria, nobody should miscalculate the equation of its reality.
Please can someone edit this war drum beaters out of the equation here. I wonder how we can make progress as a people when all you hear is region, religion and mere standards that ordinarily will not meet the basic foundation of interpersonal relationship. The woman has spoken, please let her be. Let the coming events play themselves out. Defenders and condermners should please calm down and allow genuine progress see the light of day. People clamouring for war and brim stone should learn from the experiences of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other nations that still crying from the pains of selfish greed. Please let give the incoming government a chance to build up our country again for the good of all, whatever your region, religion or distinctive coloration you ascribe to yourself. Nigeria is on the rise again.
Nobody is drumming the drum beat of war, but we will be naive, even outright foolish, if we fail to tackle or address issues of past injustice and the outright robbery committed against the former Eastern Nigerians by Hausa and Yorubas successive governments. The cause of wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan that you cited as examples, when you look at there root cause, it boils down to injustice, lack of fairness, political or economic subjugation of the powerful majority against a minority, or minority groups against a majority group. To avoid war, we must do nothing to provoke it, if you disregard this truth, you are not wise.
Igbo man, what did your SS broad, GEJ do for the IGBOS? Bloody loser
“To avoid war,We must do Nothing to Provoke it, if we disregard this TRUTH, We are not WISE.”
@AriseNigeria2015
True talk. But you are doing everything to promote it.
If the government will clean oil sector , let Buhari start from IBB,OBASAJO,ABUDUSALAMU, T.DANJUMA,and all the former minister of petroleum tell today with that every nigeria will wellcome it.
Madam Diezani Madueke as far I am concerned your tenure as Petroleum minister have not and did not affect positively the lives of ordinary Nigerians.God Almighty will judge you. Any day you are leaving this planet earth, make sure you go with all you have acquired. I repeat God of heaven will judge you.
She likes flying in private jets. Spoiled brat. Reminds of those morons like Fani Kayode. The last government had a collection of useless, expensive bench warmers in government.
Ask America they will tell you the benefits of war. Well I wish you and your army they best of luck in this your war. The person wey say e go dash you shirt make you look the kind wey dey for him neck. My brother I see you are angry and bitter about the south south and south east. Have you one day question your elected representative what they have done with your mandate?
PLS, LET THE PROBE EXTEND TO ALL FORMER MINISTERS OF PETROLEUM REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM. ONLY THEN WOULD JUSTICE BE DONE.
CORRECTION Please: sorry, south-east is still as it was during the civil war. But south-south is NOT the way it was during that war. To be clear, Edo and Delta States were not part of the Eastern Region. No, they were Bendel State, originally part of Western Nigeria. What I would prefer we project is that we concentrate on being one, one-Nigeria, than regionalising issues. If I may ask, what difference is there between what is being put forward and the South African Xenophobia??
I cannot vouch for the Petroleum minister or any other public servant as far financial proprietary goes but during her tenure there has been a dramatic increase in the number of indigenous players in the Nigerian oil sector. This includes upstream as well as downstream areas of the industry. The Nigerian Local Content Act is the single most significant legislation to be passed by the legislature since our democracy began. Diezani Allison Madueke with the support of President Jonathan has implemented the Local Content Act with zeal to the benefit of Nigerians and anyone who refuses to acknowledge this is either ignorant, blind, or biased. The effect of this initiative will be felt for generations. Other African countries are studying the law and its implementation. We should learn constructive criticism. It is immoral and unGodly to assassinate another person’s character without a justifiable reason. Someone on this forum went as far to invoke God’s Name while condemning another person he probably doesn’t know. You should be the person trembling because you are in gross violation of righteousness.
…all of us would be after you soon for the mess you have made of a simple revenue generation process dipping your hands into our porridge before it is served and shortchanging us immensely through your opaque handling of 90% of our revenue – which you insisted you must receive and then give us whatever “change” you like. To the extent that you had principals in these looting, you must tell us who those are, for it is impossible that you would have been doing this alone…our dear Toyin Akinosho (Of African Oil & Gas Journal) is now exiled just for having the “temerity” to shine some light into how you have been doing this.
Time Up.
Diezanin is a pathological liar and deep within her and GEJ, they know the evil that they have done. If madam is sure that she is being unfairly labelled and rubbished, she should head for the courts and sue for libel and other damages. After all she quick in rushing to the courts to avoid answering questions before the National Assembly, using tax payers money to fight her personal court cases are also criminal offence. She knows that GEJ can no longer shield her. The game is up!
Buhari, get rid of the fuel distributors, MOMAN and marketers and place every single distribution and importation of fuel under a corrupt-free NNPC. They are a major cause of the inefficiency and corruption in the oil industry and a daily burden to ordinary Nigerians everyday.
We will review and take appropriate action.