It wouldn’t be an irony to say President Goodluck Jonathan kissed his chances of a second term goodbye as a result of his inability to expunge corruption, a major cause of poverty in Nigeria.
After years of devastating effects from corruption, Nigeria has become a shameful centre for different kinds of corruption parasites. Corruption under Goodluck Jonathan exceeded epidemic level.
For many Nigerians, “Change” was needed; this to a large extent cemented the victory of a 72-year-old former dictator-General Muhamadu Buhari who intelligently capitalized on this singular factor (corruption) to win a historic presidential election with the slogan of “change”.
One name that has been greeted with strong connection with corrupt practices will be none other than Diezani Alison-Madueke, the first Nigerian petroleum minister to be elected OPEC President and the Minister for Petroleum in the Africa’s most populous country.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only, and do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com’s editors or other contributors.
Story Highlights
- What happened to a mother with high expectations from Nigerians?
- One of the pillars of democracy is transparency, Diezani please tell us what happened to the alleged missing $20b
- Diezani ponders easiest route out of jail, embraces exile.
At government level, Nigeria has given Diezani the best she could have ever asked for. Diezani Alison-Madueke has held three significant positions in the Nigerian federal government.
She was appointed Transport Minister in 2007. In 2008, she was named as Minister of Mines and Steel Development. And after Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan became acting President in February 2010, Diezani was named as Minister for Petroleum Resources.
Why then did she choose to throw the trust Nigerian gave her into the waste bin?
For years and especially the Jonathan years, newspaper headlines compete for stories on ministers and other top government officials embroiled in scams that involve millions and billions with the number one culprit being none other than Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The fairy tale of corrupt practices labelled against Mrs. Madueke has been quite dreadful.
Last year, The House of Representatives ordered an investigation of an alleged squandering of billions of naira from government funds by the petroleum minister on the maintenance of a private jet.
The lawmaker who tabled the motion for approval, Samuel Adejare, representing Lagos State, said the allegation was based on “reliable evidence” indicating that Mrs. Alison-Madueke has committed about 500,000 Euros (N130 million naira) monthly to maintain the aircraft, solely for her personal needs and those of her immediate family.
Diezani however, described the allegation against her as a mere fabrication. According to her, leasing jets is more cost-effective than buying them as is often done in the highly technical and competitive oil industry around the world.
The minister said it would have been unwise for anyone to spend N10 billion in leasing jets, an amount which can conveniently buy three new jets, depending on the type.
Apparently! Diezani made it quite clear to us that it’s very normal to use jets in the oil sector around the globe.
Months after, she’s clouded by another scandal as it was reported that sum of N70m donated by the Minister of Petroleum Resources to the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State pre-election period, caused division between the chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.) and the members of the State Working Committee.
The chairman was suspended by the members of the Committee on February 11, Wednesday, for alleged misconduct and diversion of the N70m gift.
If N70m can be a mere gift from the minister, what should be expected if she’s forced to declare her assets?
Following suit just after that, Diezani is in yet another scandal, this time a $20b scandal.
It may interest you to know that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is probably the most important government institution in Nigeria because it largely funds the federal, states and local governments via its payments into the Federation Account of income from Nigeria’s oil field operations. The parastatal provides about 70% of all government revenue. This income is important because the various levels of government in turn pump that money into the domestic economy by paying salaries, spending on infrastructure, etc.
The NNPC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are clearly the two bodies with the most impact on our daily lives because of their influence on the country’s fiscal, monetary policy and income and as you all know the NNPC is kept under the watchful eyes of the number one suspect of corrupt practices in the country, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Diezani’s popularity plummeted after investigations by Price WaterHouse Coopers revealed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) could not account for $20 billion oil money under her watch.
The missing $20 billion oil money raised by former Central Bank governor, Lamido Sanusi (now Emir of Kano) has continued to be greeted with so much interest as all accusing fingers have gone in no other direction than that of the Petroleum minister.
Diezani has also been accused of refusing to make the report of the investigation public despite public outcry and in all of this, the woman Nigeria entrusted a key sector like the Petroleum ministry has decided to turn a deaf ear to our demands but rather seeks to make the quickest exit to safety.
She however tries to play her cards well debunking reports to leave the country to avoid supposed corruption accusations under the incoming All Progressives Congress administration.
She disregarded speculations that she 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.
Trying to dodge the allegations, Diezani decides to admit she has stepped on some big toes.
“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,”
“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.”
With the heat sizzling hot, Diezani makes an attempts at undoing her sins as it was reported that $16million out the $20billion allegedly stolen from the coffers of the Nigeria National Petroleum, NNPC by the management of the corporation have reportedly been refunded by the management of one of the top banks in Nigeria due to fear of prosecution by the incoming government.
The question is where is the outstanding?
To a large extent, the despicable sins of Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has created lot of buzz with many demanding the incoming government to probe her.
However, the question that caught my attention will be cited from President Jonathan’s utterance during a presidential media chat where he said, “Stealing isn’t corruption”.
If stealing isn’t corruption then maybe Diezani Alison-Madueke is a symbol of corruption. But as it is believed theoretically, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. However, I must admit that I have been quite perplexed at this lady’s nerve.
Time definitely has a key part to play in all of this.
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