FEAR OF PROBE HITS PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS IN NIGERIA!
‘I ordered NNPC to Refund $1.48billion to Federation Account‘-Diezani, Nigeria’s ex-Petroleum Minister
*Reasons she was Absent in Transitional Ceremony
*Unpublished Reports of why she escaped Abroad
*Confesses: “I have Never been Indicted of any Crime”
*Nigeria’s Anti-graft agencies secretly investigate ‘corrupt politicians’-INVESTIGATION
* “I’m Waging a Huge War against Corruption in Nigeria”–BUHARI
PLUS: New Govt Plans to Probe Nigeria’s Oil Sector, make Outcome Public causes Panic
BY CLEM IBITOK/EDITOR, SPECIAL INVESTIGATION, ABUJA
FEAR of Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari is the beginning of wisdom. By his inauguration today at the Eagles Square of the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, panic and fear are now trailing most public office holders who probably feels their tenures may have been examined by anti-graft agencies in the country-Economic and Financial Crimes Comission (EFCC) and ICPC. Prominent among these office holders are Diezani Alison Madueke, former Minister of Petroleum, who was obviously absent in the just concluded Transition/Inauguration Ceremonies, but allegedly ‘holed-up’ in United Kingdom.
‘I ordered NNPC to Refund $1.48billion to Federation Account’
Going by daily pressure being mounted by Nigerians for a thorough probe of the oil sector where corruption is alleged to be massive, Diezani reportedly claimed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has started refunding the $1.48bn unremitted fund into the Federation Account as recommended by an audit firm, PriceWaterHouse Coopers. It is on record that ex-Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan directed a comprehensive audit of NNPC due to demand that were often made by Nigerians to expose the rot and corruption in oil sector.
Though silent on money so far recovered, Diezani dissociates herself from varying reports that she was seeking a soft-landing and assistance of some highly-placed Nigerians to avert prosecution for alleged corruption in hands of administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Diezani revealed this during her last meeting with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. But, PriceWaterHouse Coopers had in the report of its forensic audit report of the corporation recommended that the NNPC should refund the amount to the Federation Account. Her words: “The PriceWaterHouse Coopers forensic audit that was done few weeks ago in his recommendation mentioned that $1.48bn was owed by the NPDC for a block that had hitherto been assigned from the NNPC to the NPDC which is its subsidiary.
“They felt that the right process would be that the NPDC will refund that money to the Federation Account. The NPDC has apparently started those refunds and it is also in discussion with the NNPC and the DPR on same. So the refund has actually began.” She insisted that the payment was being done under her directive, since the sum was not missing but transferred by the NNPC to the NPDC.
Why Absent in Transitional Ceremony/Unpublished Reports of why she escaped Abroad
Naija Standard gathered that fearing the mill of justice may beam on corruption by the time Buhari comes to power, Diezani few days ago was on same British Airways flight with this ‘disciplinarian President’ to London, where she allegedly tried unsuccessfully to curry favor from Buhari in case he is looking into the oil sector books. But Buhari declined her overtures. For these reasons she could not attend the Transitional/Inauguration ceremonies as she eventually chauffeured-off on arrival in the Queen’s enclave.
Investigation by Naija Standard showed that underground moves is being made on the request of Diezani allegedly by few retired ‘Nigerian army generals’ in persons of Abdusalami Abubakar and her husband, Alison Madueke to reach out to Buhari on time, so that when her issue comes up before Aso Rock, ‘soft-landing’ should be giving her. After which, she would then return to Nigeria safely.
For the records, ex-minister also denied media reports that she was reaching out to some prominent Nigerians, including a former military Head of State, Gen. Abubakar (retd.), to seek soft landing from the incoming government. In her defense, she said she had in the course of her job as minister met with elder statesmen across the country and wondered why her meeting with Abubakar would be singled out.
The minister said she could not be seeking for a soft landing because she was not aware that she had committed any crime.
Her claim: “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 many times been unfortunately accused and libeled in so many malicious and vindictive ways.
Nigeria’s Anti-graft agencies secretly investigate ‘corrupt politicians’-INVESTIGATION
Information reaching our correspondent confirms that secret moves is being made by Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to collate and investigate all manners of corruption committed by bureaucrats and politicians which originates in corruption. Their intention: to handover outcome to Buhari for prosecution purposes.
New Govt Plans to Probe Nigeria’s Oil Sector, make Outcome Public causes Panic
The fact that this correspondent gathered plans have been concluded by this new government to name/shame anyone linked with Oil Fraud has been generating so much heat.
“I’m Waging a Huge War against Corruption in Nigeria”–BUHARI
Buhari during his Inaugural speech today, claims to confront corruption headlong, no matter whose ox is gored. He said he is frontally confronting corruption and other malaise that are anti-development in the society.
