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Tag: Diezani Alison-Madueke

  • NPDC and enhanced local participation in oil output

    NPDC and enhanced local participation in oil output

    Antagonising Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke on the basis of decisions that were made in good faith could only discourage future ministers from making hard decisions where necessary to deal with challenges in the oil and gas sector. GODWIN ANAUGHE writes

    It is true that when progress comes, there is propensity by those who are afraid of change to challenge it. For the past four years that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been at the helm of affairs her goal has been to make the oil and gas sector more accessible to local indigenous players. Her work has been plagued with stories which whether real or imagined have not been fully investigated nor do they hold neither facts nor truth.

    This is the price she is paying for daring to remain at the helm of the most important sector of the Nigerian economy and threading in an all men industry and still has the guts to stand tall despite the negative publications against her. And who is to blame if not she, for failing to fight back forcefully enough. The good news, however, is that the criticism has never dissuaded her from doing what she believes is right for our country.

    We do not always have to criticise government officials simply because we do not understand the workings of government. Alison-Madueke, a holder of the MBA of Cambridge University is not all knowing and never will be, but her record shows that she knows what she is doing at the petroleum ministry and her desire to see that the Nigeria oil sector develops to its maximum capacity is not in any doubt. It is this desire that has driven her to adopt several creative previously utilised ways to bridge the existing funding gap in the industry which hitherto has prevented the NNPC from meeting its cash call obligations when due.

    One such financing arrangement is the Strategic Alliance Agreement (SSA), which has made it possible for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the exploration and production subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to undertake investment in very critical projects in the oil and gas sector.  Similar to Financial and Production Sharing Agreements (FPSA) and Petroleum Sharing contracts (PSC), the SSA has enabled NPDC to develop oil and gas fields which ordinarily it could not have funded from its limited resources or carried all the risks solely. These agreements are based on tested financial models used by international oil companies to help NPDC fund its cash call obligations.

    Without the SSA, many oil and gas fields would not have been explored, developed and produced because NPDC would be unable to meet the cash call obligations in these partnerships with its partners, and as such many vital projects of NPDC would have suffered thereby undermining the Nigerian economy. This is definitely what Nigerians who are not conversant with the oil industry do not know. They also do not know that SSA with NPDC has been entered into with indigenous companies to empower the local companies (under the same terms and conditions like that undertaken with the international oil companies and NNPC). This kind of effort should be lauded, as it is the minister’s goal to develop indigenous companies.

    The SSA is not new in the petroleum and gas industry, as many countries have used this financing instrument to grow their operations. State oil companies such as Petrobas of Brazil, Petronas of Malaysia and Sonangol of Angola have aggressively used these innovative financing arrangements to the benefit of their countries. NPDC cannot be different if we are to remain competitive in the global market.

    The criticism of Mrs Alison-Madueke who, in good faith, has made audacious steps to reposition the oil and gas industry through the adoption of innovative financing instruments to the benefit of the nation are uncalled for.  She deserves commendation and not condemnation.

    We are all aware that the international oil companies have always complained that NNPC is not able to meet its cash call obligations. Therefore to suggest that the SSA be rolled back is to say the least unwise and unpatriotic. It will amount to throwing away the baby with the bath water when the gains of SSA are about to be consolidated. Agreed that flaws may abound in the agreement, but they cannot and should not be blamed on the executive, which has used these already established instruments to ensure the smooth operation of NPDC. Neither can they be attributed to the minister or the government. These flaws manifest at the operational level and whatever challenges that exist in the execution of those agreements, be they legal, commercial or operational, should be handled at the operational level. It is at that level that issues such as those arising from the commercial agreement entered into by NPDC and Atlantic Energy Concepts Limited should be resolved.

    Antagonising Alison-Madueke on the basis of decisions that were made in good faith could only discourage future ministers from making hard decisions where necessary to deal with challenges in the oil and gas sector. Without doubt, Mrs Alison-Madueke is a strong character who is not easily distracted but she needs our support so she can remain focused on the restructuring of the oil and gas industry and most especially the passing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that will help stimulate investment in the oil and gas sector.

    The focus, therefore, should be on the PIB which has been held down by the cabal that is fighting the minister. Just as the FOIA was fought and won and the National Health Bill almost sailing through, pressure should be mounted on the National Assembly to pass the PIB. Or are we all forgetting the expected benefits of the PIB to the common man who we all claim to fight for? Fight for PIB and not fight the minister who may out of fear of criticism stop any fresh innovative ideas being brought to the ministry, an act which has rendered some of the sectors of the economy impotent.

    Mrs Alison-Madueke has achieved so much for the oil and gas sector and made many bold decisions since she arrived at the ministry. Let us not forget that under the watch of this able woman, Nigeria increased its daily oil production, eliminated petroleum products scarcity in our nation and restored peace to the Niger Delta. A bigger plus is that NPDC which for years under previous administrations boasted a production output of less than 5,000 barrels per day (bpd), today produces well in excess of 50,000bpd all because of the SSA as well as the operatorship of several oil blocks that were transferred to the NNPC subsidiary.

    The audacious steps she also took led to the Gas Masterplan revolution implementation of Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Act, as well as implementation of the National Gas Supply and Pricing Policy. That NPDC has grown into a medium scale exploration and production company from its small sized era is her feat, just as under her leadership, there has been an increase in the contribution of Nigerian companies to oil production output. What more can we say?

    Rather than join in the bandwagon to pull her down, Nigerians should stick with her and encourage her to continue with the work she is doing for the country.

     

    •Anaughe, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos

  • Missing $20 billion: ‘Diezani must step aside for forensic audit’

    Missing $20 billion: ‘Diezani must step aside for forensic audit’

    A group, Gatekeeper Foundation, yesterday, insisted that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, must step aside ahead of the proposed forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The audit was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan towards investigating the alleged non-remittance of $20 billion by NNPC to the Federation Account.

    Briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday, the Executive Director of Gatekeepers Foundation, Blessing Agbomhere, said it will not be right for a government claiming to be fighting corruption to allow Diezani to preside over her own case.

    According to him, Diezani is not bigger than Nigeria and should stop running away from the National Assembly if she has nothing to hide.

    He claimed the group protested at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna to stop Diezani from heading the organisation.

    Agbomhere said: “She must bring our money and I am ready to go to court over this issue. What is good for Sanusi is good for Diezani. She must step aside for the forensic audit to be carried out.”

     

    The President should sack Diezani now to allow the forensic audit to take place. She is not bigger than Nigeria; she is not bigger than the National Assembly.”

     

    Replying critics who believed the protest in Vienna was not good for Nigeria, he said: “I went to Vienna to protect the image of Nigeria and not to soil it.”

     

    On his interest in this matter, he said: “I am a Nigerian and a taxpayer in this country. There is no way the action or inaction of the government won’t affect me and my generation unborn. We have a right to ask her about our money and she must bring the money.”

     

  • ‘Why Diezani must step aside for forensic audit’

    The Gatekeeper Foundation has insisted that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke must be relieved of her position in order to ensure noninterference with the forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The audit was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan towards investigating the alleged non-remittance of $20 billion by NNPC to the Federation Account.

    Briefing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the Executive Director of Gatekeepers Foundation, Blessing Agbomhere said that it will not be right for a government that said it is fighting corruption to allow Diezani to preside over her own case.

    According to him, Diezani is not bigger that Nigeria and should stop running away from the National Assembly if she had nothing to hide.

    He stressed that it was his group that protested at Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna to stop Diezani from heading the organization.

    “She must bring our money and I am ready to go to court over this issue. What is good for Sanusi is good for Diezani. She must step aside for the forensic audit to be carried out.

    “The President should sack Diezani now to allow the forensic audit to take place. She is not bigger than Nigeria, she is not bigger than the National Assembly.

    “Why is she afraid to appear before the Senate if she had nothing to hide,” Agbomhere queried

    Replying his critics who believed that protesting in Vienna was not good for Nigeria, he said: “I went to Vienna to protect the image of Nigeria and not to soil it.”

    On his interest in this matter, he said: “I am a Nigerian and a taxpayer in this country. There is no way the action or inaction of the government won’t affect me and my generation unborn. We have a right to ask her about our money and she must bring the money.”

  • Untenable alibi

    Untenable alibi

    •Oil minister’s position leaves much to be desired

    We have always admired the presidential system of government for many reasons, but more importantly for its clear-cut demarcations through the principle of separation of powers and the doctrine of checks and balances among the three arms of government. This is meant to discourage arbitrary deployment of powers. But these laudable provisions were made mincemeat of by Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), through a new case filed in court by them seeking for perpetual injunction to restrain the National Assembly from probing her/NNPC without first obtaining the consent of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The law firm of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) is curiously handling this matter for the minister through Dominic Ezerioha, one of its reported counsel. Alison-Madueke’s judicial resistance is geared towards preventing the House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts from probing her over the scandalous allegation that she spent N10billion on chartered aircraft in a country where poverty is on the high scale and the monthly minimum wage is a paltry N18, 000. The new suit is reportedly marked FHC/ABJ/CS/346/2014 at an Abuja Federal High Court.

    We are aware that previous attempts by the National Assembly to probe activities in the oil sector since 1999 have faced serious rebuff from both NNPC and the minister. But it is a thing of joy to know that the national legislature, through the latest summon, has shown  unwavering resolve to go ahead this time by asking especially the minister to appear before it to answer questions relating to the aircraft charter scandal on June 17, 2014.

    Sadly too, the quick but easy resort to the court by the applicants is nothing but a condemnable attempt at distracting and preventing the House from performing its constitutional duty; and the curious Nigerian people from knowing the truth and extent of rot in the oil sector. More disheartening is our observation that Chief Ozekhome (SAN), a constitutional lawyer/activist with renowned pedigree and known hitherto for clamouring for due process, is anchoring this aberration/circumvention of constitutional process, for whatever reason. This is out of character with such a distinguished constitutional lawyer.

    The National Assembly is not subservient to the presidency in the discharge of its lawful duty. So is the judiciary or even the executive arm, but any of them can only moderate one another in case of an overreach. As such, we view the current judicial attempt by the applicants as an abuse of court process. We are persuaded, in our position, by the 1999 Constitution where it provides in section 88 (1b) that each House of the National Assembly shall have power over ‘the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for’ –  (ii) ‘disbursing or administering moneys appropriated or to be appropriated by the National Assembly.’

    According to its subsequent provisions in section 88(2b), such powers are to enable it – ‘expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it.’  Above all, section 89 (1(a) (c) gives the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with section 62 of the constitution powers to procure evidence, whether written or oral, as it may think necessary, and to summon any person in Nigeria. We ask: Despite these unambiguous constitutional provisions, why are Alison-Madueke and the NNPC still running away from their shadows? We believe that under no circumstances should the constitutional process be undermined since no executive privilege is applicable in this instance.

     

  • Diezani’s many contrivances

    Diezani’s many contrivances

    THE great Hungarian-American illusionist and stunt performer, Harry Houdini, would be green with envy were he to be a contemporary of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. While the former extricated himself from many straitjackets in the face of death, unaided by friend or foe, the latter is prising herself loose from tight corners of all kinds, facilitated by government conspiracies and general bureaucratic magic. When it became obvious that the House of Representatives was determined to press ahead with a probe of how the minister spent a whopping N10bn in two years on chartered jets, she applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja for respite from parliamentary investigations.

    Between April 11 when the case was filed and May 5 when Justice Ahmed Mohammed heard the case and gave a number of orders and adjournments, the minister’s spin doctors sold the public a dummy of their own making. Their first contrivance was to hoodwink the media by claiming that the judge had ordered the Reps to stop the Diezani probe. Presto, someone in the Reps told the media that, indeed, the lower chamber had suspended investigations. But a thoroughly flustered and angry Justice Mohammed exclaimed shortly thereafter that he gave no such orders, and asked the Reps to appear before him to show proof by what juridical adroitness they interpreted his order. The Reps, of course, balked, and restarted the probe.

    And while Diezani was still spinning her web in the courts, anxious that one of her contrivances had been exploded, one of her aides told the media and the world that she could not be compelled by the Reps to undergo investigation without President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval. It is indeed remarkable that the president could be drawn into the fray. But why not, when the president himself, in a media chat, had waded into the matter by rising stoutly to the minister’s defence, making sarcastic and inappropriate comments on the Reps  in effect accusing them of harassing and distracting his ministers. Seeing that the president had been cavalierly drawn into a case he should never really be involved in, astounded and puzzled Nigerians have begun to wonder what on earth has come upon the Petroleum minister.

    Unsure that throwing the weight of the president’s name around had the desired effect, the minister swaddled her second contrivance with a matching, legalistic contrivance. She proceeded to another Federal High Court in the same Abuja to seek relief from the House of Representatives probe. This time she wants the court to interpret the constitution, which she and her lawyers claim predicates any investigation on the president’s approval. The case will be heard soon. The Nigerian president is already one of the most powerful democratically elected presidents in the world, far more powerful in the brutal use of power than even the American president. By drawing him into the Diezani case, and asking the court to lend constitutional cover to the illegitimate use of power, the minister has clearly resorted to political and judicial unconscionableness.

    If the Petroleum minister has nothing to hide, and is convinced she has done no profligate wrong, why is she afraid to be investigated? Can the Reps manufacture false evidence against her? In the case before Justice Mohammed, the minister’s lawyers attached 41 exhibits showing proof of invitations extended to her and the NNPC by the National Assembly in the conduct of one probe or another since 1999. Perhaps this was why the president blurted out in his typical hyperbole that the minister had been invited more than 200 times. It remains to be seen whether the minister and her presidency allies can find a court to grant her the reliefs she is seeking. But in the light of previous Supreme Court rulings and in view of the ethical quicksand Nigeria has become in the eyes of the whole world, it may be difficult for the minister to do anything more than buy a little more time to prevent the indefensible rot in her ministry from being exposed.

  • N10b cash on jet: Speaker halts probe

    N10b cash on jet: Speaker halts probe

    •Members split, discover plan to blackmail them

    A directive from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.  Aminu Tambuwal, to the House Committee on Public Accounts  to suspend the ongoing probe of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke,  has not gone down well with some of the members.

    They want to defy him and continue with the assignment, The Nation  has learnt.

    The minister is accused of spending N10billion on chartered jet.

    Speaker Tambuwal had asked that the probe be suspended in view of the current mood of the nation occasioned by the Chibok abductions.

    The panel is said to have discovered alleged  plan to blackmail its members on phantom bribery .

    The Committee Chairman, Solomon Adeola, has sworn that neither he nor any member has compromised in any way.

    The Nation gathered that the Speaker told the Panel members that the House would appear insensitive to the plight of the abducted school girls if it continued with the probe now.

    It was learnt that apart from confiding in committee chairman and members, the Speaker also made his position known at the House plenary.

    But some members of the committee were said to have disagreed with the position of the Speaker.

    They alleged sell-out by some of their colleagues with a view to frustrating the probe.

    They said since the court had clarified that it did not stop investigation into the chartered jet, there was no basis for suspending investigation temporarily.

    The development provoked tension  with the committee chairman, Adeola,  having to swear to those casting doubt on the integrity of the panelists that  no one had compromised.

    Adeola vowed to do a good job rather than compromising in any form.

    A highly-placed source said: “The Speaker directed the committee to suspend investigation because of the pulse of the nation. Tambuwal said there was no point heating up the polity with the probe at a time Nigerians are desirous of rescuing the abducted 276 girls.

    “I think the Speaker was more concerned about the image of the House than the insinuations that he was trying to bow to pressure.

    “To show that he had no ill-motive, the Speaker justified why the probe should be halted during a plenary in the week. So, what is this noise all about?”

    A member of the committee said: “Some of us are suspicious because the search for the abducted girls has nothing to do with an investigation that was almost completed.

    “We believe we should not bow to terrorists by grounding government activities either in the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.

    “We are insisting that we should continue the probe, even if it means quietly, and come up with our findings. Or else, Nigerians will not know the truth and the personalities of some people are already painted in bad light.”

    Another source in the committee said: “We had a little disagreement on Thursday on why the investigation should be suspended. But it is one of those things in legislative business. We will resume at the appropriate time the House leadership deems fit.”

    A third member of the committee expressed sadness that some people have started blackmailing members of the panel for respecting the Speaker’s directive.

    The source added: “They have been levelling allegations against us for no just cause. They said some of us collected $3million, others $1.5million and $1million.

    “In fact, some of us had been called by our relations and advisers to find out the truth or otherwise about the phantom bribery allegation.

    “At a stage, some of us confronted the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Solomon Adeola, who almost shed tears. He swore in a hard manner that he has not compromised and will never do so.

    “No one should pre-empt the outcome of the ongoing investigation. These blackmailers should not stampede the committee.

    “We are aware that there is no legal inhibition but the Speaker’s advice is also timely. And the Speaker did not meet with the committee members secretly; he addressed the plenary on why the investigation should be suspended temporarily.”

    Disturbed by the development, the Speaker on Friday spoke with some members of the committee that he was not trying to gag them.

    He reportedly told them that the House would conclude the investigation “but the mood of the nation now is about how to rescue these innocent girls.”

    The committee had on April 28 resumed investigation into the controversial Challenger 850 aircraft.

    The Minister of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC have gone to court on some issues relating to the probe.

  • PIB should be broken up to speed passage – Minister

    PIB should be broken up to speed passage – Minister

    Nigeria should break up its long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to speed its passage through parliament, the Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said.

    The bill aims to reform oil taxes and licences and overhaul the structure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Reuters reports.

    PIB has been more than five years in the making and has not been passed because of political wrangling over its many clauses. Oil majors are also unhappy about proposed fiscal terms.

    Uncertainty while it is being debated has held up billions of dollars worth of exploration and production. President Goodluck Jonathan sent the latest draft of the bill to lawmakers about two years ago.

    “I think that it (PIB) should actually be broken up at this point in time if that will allow it to move forward,” Alison-Madueke said at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Abuja.

    “We have been pondering for some time now. Of course that’s something we have to look at alongside the National Assembly,” she said.

  • Alison-Madueke’s N10b jet expenses: court insists on House’s appearance

    Alison-Madueke’s N10b jet expenses: court insists on House’s appearance

    The House of Representatives yesterday refused to obey an order by a Federal High Court in Abuja directing it to appear and explain where it got its information that the court has stopped the investigation of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke for allegedly expending about N10billion in hiring aircraft.

    The court has insisted that the order it made on April 29 stands and that  House of Representatives must obey the order by appearing before it.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed had made the order on April 29 upon  reports quoting the House of Representatives’ spokesman, Zakari Mohammed as claiming that the planned investigation of Mrs Alison-Madueke and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) by the House’s Committee on Public Accounts had been stopped by the court.

    The House of Representatives reportedly told the media on April 28 (a day the Minister and top officials of NNPC were expected to  appear before it) that it was suspending its investigation into the N10b aircraft lease allegation on account of a purported restraining order from the court.

    Yesterday, the House was neither represented by its official nor a lawyer, prompting plaintiff’s lawyer, Etigwe Uwa (SAN) to observe that the House of Reps (who is the 2nd defendant in the case) was treating the case with levity and urged the court to compel its appearance in court.

    Uwa noted that the House of Reps has consistently refused to attend court despite being served with court processes and hearing notices as directed by the court.

    He added that even when the House was served with the court’s order to show cause why the plaintiffs’ prayer restraining order and order for maintenance of status quo, as contained in its motion on notice, should not be granted, the House of Representatives ignored the court, but instead, addressed a press conference where it claimed to have been restrained by the court.

    “After that, an order directing the 2nd defendant to appear and explain its position. We also confirmed this morning that hearing notices were served on the defendants as was directed by the court on the last date. In the circumstance, the 2nd defendant has not treated this matter with the seriousness it deserved.

    “The 2nd defendant did not explain why it is only this morning that a counsel is being instructed. Our position is that as regard the substantive suit, we do not oppose an adjournment.

    “With regard to the non-appearance of the 2nd defendant in spite of the order of this court, to appear and explain the source of the order in question, we urged the court to make an appropriate order to bring the 2nd defendant before this court in line with the order made, and also, direction that will allow the res in this matter to be preserved in the interim,” Uwa said.

    Earlier, he told the court about a telephone conversation between him and a new lawyer, Mr A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) engaged by the House of Reps. He said Mahmoud told him he was briefed on telephone to handle the case, and that he could not attend court because he had not been received the court processes from his client. Uwa said Mahmoud, who promised to send a junior colleague, requested for an adjournment to enable him file the necessary response.

    At that point, a young man stood up and announced that he was from A.B. Mamoud’s chambers, but was only asked to witness proceedings and not to participate. The judge refused to recognize him on the ground that he was not properly dressed. He was dressed in just suit, but without wig and rob.

    Lawyer to the 1st defendant (National Assembly), Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) confirmed that the House of Reps instructed A. B. Mahmoud to handle the case some minutes before the court’s proceedings.

    He urged the court to grant the House of Reps some indulgence, by granting an adjournment to enable its lawyer appear to explain the true position of things.

    Ruling Justice Mohammed held that although the court was willing to indulge the House of Reps, it must obey the order directing it to appear and explain where it got the restraining order it referred to during its press conference.

    “As far as this court is concerned, the order of April 29, 2014, requesting the 2nd defendant (the House of Representatives) to appear before this court to clarify whether it was served with a restraining order by this court, regarding the investigation of the plaintiffs in this case, still stands’’.

    Justice Mohammed consequently adjourned May 26 for the House to appear as per the order of April 29.

    “Today, as the return date, and being the date the 2nd defendant was expected to appear the court is told that the 2nd defendant has engaged the services of Mr. A. B. Mahmoud SAN to represent it in court. While it is the constitutional right of the 2nd defendant to be represented by the legal defendant of its choice, the point should be made that the order of court made on April 29 directing the 2nd defendant to appear before this court still stands.

    “The need for the 2nd defendant to appear and give a clarification cannot be overemphasized. One hand, the 2nd defendant has stated to the whole world that this court has restrained it from conducting further enquiry against the Minister of Petroleum Resources. On the other hand the record of this court shows that no such restraining order was made by this court.

    “Now, I pause here to ask this question. Is it not in everybody’s interest to know what documents the 2nd defendant relied upon to make the press statement under reference, that it was restrained from conducting further investigation? The answer is in the affirmative.

    “However, in the interest of justice, I will excuse the absence of the 2nd defendant in court today, believing that as a responsible institution, it will honour the order of the court and appear on the next adjourned date. This matter is hereby adjourned to May 26 for the 2nd defendant to appear as directed on April 29 to clarify this issue of being served with a restraining order. Hearing notice is also to be served on the 2nd defendant against the next adjourned date,” the judge said.

    He consequently adjourned May 26 for the House to appear as per the order of April 29.

     

  • N10b jet probe not over yet, says Tambuwal

    N10b jet probe not over yet, says Tambuwal

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has said despite the legal action against the House by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the investigation on her N10 billion alleged bill on chartered jets has not ended.

    Tambuwal spoke at plenary yesterday when he ruled on a point of order brought by a member, Omosule Eniolorunda.

    The lawmaker had called the attention of the House to the court ruling on the suit filed by the minister and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He noted, however, that the ruling was insufficient to stop the House from continuing with its probe of the minister.

    A source told The Nation yesterday that some House members were allegedly induced to stall the probe. But the inducement was reportedly turned down.

    A member, who spoke in confidence, said the House committee had received a confidential report that “300,000 Euros” was being spent monthly on three private jets parked at an airport hangar.

    Eniolorunda said the Constitution gives the House the power to expose corruption and avert a waste of resources.

    According to him, it is not right for the leadership of the House to stop the minister’s probe because of the court order.

    Tambuwal said: “We have not closed that investigation. When we get legal advice, we will know the next line of action.”

    The Speaker directed the House Committee on Public Accounts to maintain a stay of action on the investigation until the House receives a legal opinion on the matter.

    But a member of the committee, Kehinde Odeneye, gave insight into the controversy.

    He said the committee had obtained relevant documents that would aid the investigation, adding that the purpose of the probe was to ascertain if it was true the minister really incurred the N10 billion on chattered jets.

    The lawmaker criticised Mrs Alison-Madueke’s action.

    He said: “If the minister doesn’t have anything to hide, there was no reason for her to have gone to court.”

    Odeneye said it would be tantamount to usurping the statutory powers of the National Assembly, if any attempt is made to halt the investigation.

    The lawmaker said Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution empower the House to investigate and expose any person who misappropriates public funds.

    He said the Presidency was acting on faulty advice and that there is need for it “to look beyond” advice from his political aides.

    The minister’s name, he said, cannot be cleared by a court injunction.

    Also, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, has been summoned by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja Federal High Court.

    The lawmaker would appear on May 5 before the court for allegedly giving misleading information on the court’s ruling.

    To appear with him is the National Assembly’s Director of Legal Services.

    Addressing reporters on Monday, Zakari Mohammed alleged that the court had issued an order of interim injunction stopping investigation into the allegation that Mrs Alison-Madueke spent N10 billion in two years to charter a private jet, Challenger 850, for her trips.

    “I have seen a press release in the media, said to have been issued by the House of Representatives, that this court has made an order restraining the House of Representatives from continuing with the probe,” Justice Mohammed in his ruling.

    “As far as I am concerned and as the judge presiding over this case, no such order was made,” he added.

    According to him, the Court only ordered the defendants (National Assembly and the House of Representatives) to be put on notice after the plaintiff counsel moved an ex parte motion praying for an order of interim injunction to restrain the House of Representatives from summoning the minister.

    “This court in a ruling directed the defendants to appear in this court on April 17 and show cause why the interim order should not be made.

    “On April 17 plaintiff counsel informed the court that processes have not been served on the defendants owing to the Nyanya bomb blast and the court adjourned till today (Tuesday, April 29).

    “As the press release was issued by the House of Representatives which is the 2nd defendant in this suit, and as the House of Representatives is not represented in court today, the only fair thing to do is to adjourn this matter and issue the House of Representatives with a hearing notice to appear before the court and clear the air on whether it has been served with a restraining order issued by this court,” he said.

  • Judge: I didn’t stop Alison-Madueke’s investigation

    Judge: I didn’t stop Alison-Madueke’s investigation

    •Court summons House to explain  source of order over N10b jet probe

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday summoned the House of Representatives to explain where it got its information that it stopped the investigation of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for allegedly spending about N10billion on hiring aircraft.

    The House of Representatives reportedly claimed on Monday that the court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed had restrained it from proceeding with the planned investigation of Mrs Alison-Madueke and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the N10billion aircraft lease allegation.

    Justice Mohammed expressed displeasure about the claim credited to the House of Representatives. He said his court never granted any order stopping Alison-Madueke’s probe by the House of Representatives.

    The judge said he was worried by the confusing reports in the media, which were clear misrepresentation of the proceedings in court. He said he got calls inquiring if he actually stopped the investigation.

    The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Etigwe Uwa (SAN), said he was also surprised about the reports. He said he equally got calls and had to do a statement to some media houses to correct the wrong information.

    Lawyer to the National Assembly (1st defendant) Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) said he knew something was wrong with the way the media report came out.

    He said the suspicion that something was wrong was supported by the fact that the court’s ruling, on which the media reports were based, was delivered on April 14 but was only published to coincide with when the minister was expected to appear.

    Maikyau, who apologised to the court on behalf of his client, said he believed if such an order was made, it would have been reported before now.

    Mr Justice Mohammed held that since the confusion emanated from the House of Representatives, he would adjourn the matter to enable the House which was not represented, to come and clear the air on the reports.

    “I have seen the press release in the media said to be released by the House of Representatives that this court has ordered the stop of the investigation of the Minister for Petroleum Resources.

    “As far as I am concerned, and I am the judge handling this matter, no such order was made.”

    The judge gave details of what transpired in the case during the last two  occasions when the case came up.

    He said on April 14 when the matter first came up, the plaintiffs, lawyer moved an exparte application, seeking, among others an order of interim injunction restraining the House from proceeding with its investigation.

    The judge said he did not grant the exparte application, but ordered the House to appear on April 17 and show cause why the orders being sought should not be granted.

    He said on April 17, Uwa told the court that the defendants (National Assembly and House of Representatives) were only served the previous day a development that prompted the court to further adjourn till yesterday, and restated its order for the defendants to appear and show cause.

    The judge adjourned till May 5 for the House to appear.