I Was Surprised At Scale Of ‘Malicious Libel’ – Diezani Speaks About Asylum

Diezani Alison-Madueke, the controversial Minister of Petroleum Resources, has rejected plans to leave the country to avoid supposed corruption accusations under the incoming All Progressives Congress administration.

Diezani Allison Madueke

Addressing state House correspondents the minister dismisses claims that six countries had denied her requests for refuge.

Diezani noted that she has no reason for leaving the country as she had not been indicted for any crime.

Following her recent meeting with former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, the minister said speculations have been rife that she is looking for a “soft landing” from the in-coming administration.

READ ALSO: Six Countries Turn Down Alison-Madueke’s Shelter Request

The minister also disregards speculations tha t she has met with former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, for a “soft landing” from the in-coming government.

“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,” she told reporters at Aso Rock.

“Over the last four years, I have been severally and unfortunately accused and labeled 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,” Diezani added.

Alison-Madueke states that everything that has a beginning must have an end and added that she was surprised at the scale of “malicious libel” directed at her person.

Diezani continued that she has done the best for Nigeria in her current job and has earned many firsts in the history of oil and gas particularly in the reforms she has started.

READ ALSO: Seeking Asylum? Diezani Responses To Allegations

The minister said she was targeted because of her work, and supposed attacks on her were the outcome of her boldness to hurt powerful interests in the oil and gas industry.

She said: “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 said 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.”

The ministry has taken billions of dollars from international and their contractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through the Nigerian content law, Diezani said.

Thanking to her reforms hundreds of thousands of Nigerians are now playing key roles the oil and gas industry, a situation she said has anger many people.

Alison-Madueke claimed that even after the Petroleum Industry Bill was totally amended and reformed, the National Assembly has failed to pass it into law two years after it was presented.

The minister also said that the payment of the absent $1.48 billion from the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has started.

Diezani discharged claims that the money was missing from the accounts of the NNPC, saying that the funds were transported to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), an NNPC accessory.

“PriceWaterHouseCooper’s forensic audit that was done a few weeks ago in its recommendation mentioned that $1.48 billion was owed by NDPC for a bloc that has hitherto been assigned from the NNPC to NDPC which is its subsidiary and they felt that the right process would be that the NPDC will refund that money to the Federation Account,” the minister added.

READ ALSO: Missing $20bn: Rep Faults Okonjo-Iweala, Alison-Madueke For Withholding Report

It would be recalled that Diezani popularity arosed after Lamido Sanusi, the former CBN governor, blamed the NNPC for not being able to account for $20 billion oil money.

Despite the public anger, Alison-Madueke denied to punctually explain the situation.

News had emerged some days ago that the minster had been flown to the United Kingdom from where she might escape from the charges of incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari.

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