Diezani Replies EFCC, ‘I Can’t Forfeit What’s Not Mine’

Former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has reacted to report that she forfeited to the federal government the sum of $153.3m.

The report had alleged that the sum was stolen by the former petroleum minister from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The minister, in her reaction said that she cannot forfeit what was never hers as she does not know the basis on which the EFCC ascertained that she is the owner of the funds.

She said that the anti-graft agency has not given her fair hearing, adding that she was not notified of an evidence or indictment so that she would prepare to have legal representation in court.

She wrote: “I am deeply disturbed and bewildered by recent media reports claiming that by virtue of an order of the federal high court, I have forfeited to the federal government the sum of $153.3m, which I purportedly stole from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“Whilst the reasons for my being out of the country are public knowledge, the principle of fair hearing demands that I should have been notified of formal charges if truly there was a prima facie evidence or indictment against my person linking me with the said issue, so as to ensure that I had adequate legal representation.

“This was never done. I wish to state that I cannot forfeit what was never mine. I do not know the basis on which the EFCC has chosen to say that I am the owner of these funds as no evidence was provided to me before the order was obtained and they have not in fact served me with the order or, any evidence since they obtained it. As of the time of my writing this rebuttal, the EFCC has still not furnished me or my lawyers with a copy of the order.

“I am also informed by my lawyers that the legislation under which the EFCC obtained this order is for situations where the funds are believed to be the proceeds of crime and the owner is not known. I do not therefore; understand how the EFCC can in the same breath say that the monies in question are mine.

“If they had evidence that the monies were mine then they would not/should not have used the procedure which applies only to funds of unknown ownership. If indeed they used this particular legal procedure because they did not know who owned the monies, then how can they now be falsely attributing the ownership to me?”

On the Malabu oil deal, Diezani said at the time she was a minister, the matter was not under the direct purview of the petroleum ministry but was centred around the law.

According to her, due process was followed “to the letter” under the directives of the then attorney-general of the federation.

“As minister of petroleum Resources, I did not participate in any activity relating to financial payments on the Malabu matter, other than those statutorily mandated to the minister of petroleum resources by the petroleum act,” she said.

“My role in this matter was a purely statutory one as required by law in the petroleum act 3.”

On claims that the EFCC found $700 million in her home in Abuja, Diezani said, “Would the videos of this $700 million cash discovery not have made good viewing? Or should those who recovered this money not tell the public where exactly the money has been kept,” she queried.

“Perhaps the central bank should corroborate that it is in custody of these monies allegedly found in my house? But then, it is now patently apparent that Nigerians are no longer easily led to believe fables and sensational untruths.”

The former minister claimed that although she cut the subsidy bill of the country by almost 50 percent and put her life under immediate threat, she was still accused of taking bribes.

“At end December 2011, I directed PPPRA to move for complete deregulation, to rid the oil and gas sector of the speculators, the bloated middlemen and the parasitic influence of God-fatherism,” Diezani said.

“This was in an attempt to create a far less corruptible system as it was quite clear that the intended benefits of the Subsidy system were not reaching the masses but were being hijacked by unscrupulous middlemen cabals.”

“In addition, the Makarfi-led committee in the senate of the federal republic of Nigeria, in a series of publicly-held hearings, also vindicated me on the matter of the purportedly missing funds. Yet, we are all silent as if these events never occurred,” she said.

“The allegations that I have addressed above are no different, the character assassination continues, this time with a new set of hirelings. One of the basic tenets of the human trait is that we all have shortcomings and we all make our fair share of mistakes, whether we are in positions of leadership, or not.

“It is therefore sad and distressing that in spite of all that I tried to do in the best interest of our nation, I continue to be faced with constant demonisation, unproven accusations and deeply personal insults.

“The fight against corruption in Nigeria will be far better served if the EFCC focus on incontrovertible facts, as opposed to media sensationalism and completely distorted stories, in their bid to demonise and destroy a few specially chosen Nigerians. Documentary evidence is available to support the facts.”