N10bn Jet Hire Allegation a Ruse – Alison-Madueke

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The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, recently fielded questions from a select group of editors to clarify a number of issues in the oil and gas sector ranging from the allegation of $10bn expenditure on jet private hire to the report of the forensic audit of NNPC. Excerpts.

Cont. from last week

On Alleged N10bn Expenditure on Jet Hire

Alison Madueke

Since NNPC came into being it has always owned corporate jets. The reason it has to acquire jet is simple: if you have trillions of naira worth of assets across the country that you oversee, and you have oversight over major multinationals who are in joint venture operations with you and all those multinationals that you oversee have their own jets, how are supposed to oversight these assets and those partnerships and responsibilities, how are you supposed to do it?

As a regulator, are you supposed to borrow jets from the companies that you are supposed to oversight for trips to inspect their facilities? As we speak NNPC should actually own at least two major long distance helicopters for offshore activities. I’m ashamed to say that if I have to go on an inspection of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility I have to borrow a ride from ExxonMobil or Total or Agip. I don’t think that kind of thing happens anywhere in the world, not even in small Angola!

Now when I came in as Minister of Petroleum Resources NNPC did not have any jet on ground because the one it had was about 30yrs old and I recall that Ajumogobia, when he was going had advised that I should not for my life enter that jet and that he almost died in it when the thing dropped out of the air one day.

So, when I came in I was informed that they have just acquired another jet which for some reasons was parked somewhere abroad. When they eventually brought it back to Nigeria, it ended up in Kaduna in Kasim Shetima’s airline hanger. I didn’t even know him at that time. But one day Shetima came to meet me and suggested very strongly that I should ask NNPC to sell that jet because it had been idle for too long and it may have developed a lot of problems.

He also raised issues about that particular model of aircraft and that it has been known to have certain issues. So, I called in the GMD and reiterated the issues and suggested to him to sell off the jet. NNPC later came back with lots of reasons why they wouldn’t sell. I said well, its their property and I didn’t bother about it again.

But in truth, there were problems with the plane in terms of maintenance. That was how we came about leasing this other jet. We had looked at our books and done our own homework, we discovered that Shell had sold all their own planes.

Shell actually had a fleet when I was there, they even built a private terminal in Lagos airport and rebuilt the entire terminal in Port-Harcourt Airforce Base which they were also using. But they sold all their planes because they saw that in this age and time, unless you are in the business of aviation, it was actually cheaper and more cost effective to lease.

So, I said let us just lease first because I couldn’t just even go to the Federal Executive Council for them to approve $30m to go and buy a jet. So based on what we consider as the tradition in the industry now all over the world, we went for a lease arrangement with the same company that Shell and other multinationals were using.

But out of the blues, some people came up with the allegation and made it look like I was the first person in the history of petroleum industry in Nigeria or NNPC who started using jet for operations. I don’t even know how the N10bn came about! For N10bn one can buy two brand new Challenger jets and add a third one (second class). I don’t know how they came about such outrageous figures! But like I said before, it is all calculated to make me look bad.

Actually, when the issue came up I didn’t talk, the lawyers advised that I shouldn’t talk. I couldn’t talk at that particular point in time, it was only after the case had been heard by the court, which was not too long ago, that I could actually say something and address the issue.

Pipeline Vandalism, Sabotage and Protection

There was actually a pipeline protection contract for some militants. When the contract ended, which was almost two years ago, we did not renew it. Even the militants abused me for refusing to renew it. And I did that because they did not live up to expectation, they did not meet up with the terms of the contract.

We have to review it, in fact we have even extended it to include Ondo and Lagos because the pipelines run through that area and they were not involved at the beginning. But it has taken sometime because the people we are dealing with are people you have to handle with care. I believe that the groups that we have put on the table are groups that will actually be able to deliver. But we are still having a look at it because we cannot afford to get it wrong, we want to be sure that we are engaging with the right groups at the various communities.

So, we are still on it, I have not renewed the pipeline protection contract with any group. But apart from that, the NSA is working on an electronic pipeline surveillance project. It has not been discussed in much details with us because it is a security issue, but I was fully aware at the time it was being put together. It is my expectation that they will be deploying those things anytime from now.

Allegations of Missing Oil Revenues and PwC Audit Report

When the former CBN Governor came up with the allegation that about $49.8bn of crude oil sales proceeds was not remitted by NNPC we all swung into action with all the relevant agencies to reconcile the figures. When we reconciled the figures down to $10.8bn and some agencies were having a different figure of $12bn, we insisted that the reconciliation must continue because there was still an anomaly; we said we must get down to the bottom of the matter to find out what is really amiss.

I recall that I called the former CBN governor on a particular day, I was abroad for a meeting and we met there and I said, “Governor, I think you and I really need to sit down and thrash out this matter, let us drill down to find out if there was really a gap and what could be the source of the gap”. He said he was very upset and that NNPC wants to finish his reputation and that all sorts of things are being written about him at home and abroad.

I said well, I don’t think you can blame NNPC but whatever you feel, let us finish the reconciliation and get to the bottom of things. He said ok, ok, ok. We had arranged to meet after my return to Nigeria which was in two days’ time. I came back only to hear that earlier on that day he had submitted another report to the National Assembly saying $20bn was the actual amount missing. At that point I said to my people, “We have a problem here, there is clearly a hostile situation in place”.

A few days later, we appeared before the Senator Makarfi Commttee to defend ourselves over the fresh allegation of unremitted $20bn. We put our papers forward, the Makarfi Committee then went through all the evidence supplied by all the relevant agencies and found that there was no missing $20bn. Despite the fact that the Makarfi Committee declared that no money was missing, the opposition kept insisting that $20bn was missing and they were calling us names.

That was how the external auditors were called in to look into the whole issue, a situation I believe was a very sad indictment on the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Because, I don’t think that if a Senate Committee in America makes a finding it will be disparaged in that manner. What PwC has come out with is that NPDC should remit the balance of the book value of the assets transferred to it which stands at $1.48bn to the Federation Account.

Under normal circumstances when you transfer oil blocks to NNPC or its subsidiary as a government-owned corporation, they are not supposed to pay you, what they are supposed to do is to send all revenues above operating cost to the Federation Account. But in this case, DPR wanted to apply a different method and it quoted what it considered the book value of those assets for NPDC to pay. The implication is that if NNPC pays the book value for this assets, the assets will become its own, and then they can run it competitively just like independent multinationals do, that was the idea.

There was now reconciliation problem between NNPC and DPR because DPR quoted a certain amount for the assets value while NNPC said that was not actually the book value of the assets. But they still paid the first two tranches when the reconciliation was transacted in 2012. Then the audit came into play at that point in time. What PwC has recommended is that to follow due process that book value is to be paid to the Federation Account as DPR mandated. But the truth is that as far as NNPC is concerned, the book value of the assets as quoted by the DPR is still under contention.

That is why NNPC insists that it was not indicted in the PwC audit report. Whatever the case, however they do it, NNPC will pay the amount, but that does not mean that it was indicted.

 

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N10bn Jet Hire Allegation a Ruse – Alison-Madueke

Christian group condemns Cardinal Okogie for criticising Oritsejafor

A group, the Christians United Against Boko Haram, on Sunday in Abuja attacked a former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Olubunmi Okogie, for criticising the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor.

Ayo oritsejafor

The relatively unknown group asked Mr. Okogie, a Cardinal, to “be mindful of his words and avoid being used by enemies of the Body of Christ”.

Mr. Okogie had in an interview with the New Telegraph newspapers said the current CAN president had “fallen from grace to grass,” after it was confirmed that Mr. Oritsejafor’s private jet was used to ferry $9.3 million in cash to South Africa.

Mr. Oritsejafor has admitted owning the jet, but said it was managed by a private company who leased it to another company.

The money has been seized by South African authorities, who said bringing such cash violated the nations laws.

In what can be considered the most scathing criticism of a much maligned CAN leadership under Mr. Oritsejafor, Mr. Okogie said, “CAN leadership today is zero. CAN has no leader.”

“Thank God you are talking to one of the founders of CAN, and I was there as their leader for eight years. Then, the whole country knew that CAN had a leader, not by my own might, but by God.

“Because what we were doing then, we had only one voice. But the problem we have now is that people are struggling for power in unrighteous way. And because he is struggling for power, he can do little or nothing,” Mr. Okogie added.

But in its criticism of the Catholic cleric, the Christians United Against Boko Haram warned that “those who live in glass houses should not throw doyens at the undeserving”.

The statement was titled “Okogie: Those who live in glass Houses”, and signed by Olusola Oyedokun, a deacon and Executive Secretary of the group.

Mr. Oyedokun said Mr. Okogie’s attack on the integrity of the current CAN President was hypocritical and unbecoming of a man of his personality. He expressed disappointment that Mr. Okogie could compare his tenure to that of Mr. Oritsejafor.

“As CAN President under whom a secular Nigeria was taken to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Okogie has very little moral grounds to stand on to attack the integrity of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor whose name invokes apprehension in those who wish to entrench one religion over the other in Nigeria.

“We are surprise(d) at Okogie for criticizing Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor for opening a University and wonder whether Cardinal Okogie considers education as Haram. To recall that if opening universities was wrong, then the Catholic Church has participated in the wrong doing by being behind Madonna University. It is double standards for Cardinal Okogie to close his eyes to Madonna University and attack Pastor Ayo’s University.”

Mr. Oyedokun, son of a former Deputy National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Shuaib Oyedokun, urged Mr. Okogie not to act on rumour regarding the $9.3 million scandal.

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Christian group condemns Cardinal Okogie for criticising Oritsejafor

Breaking: $9.3m scandal: APC reps walk out of debate

All Progressives Congress members of the House of Representatives have staged a walkout on the House following a stalled debate on the controversial $9.3m seized last week by the South African Government.

A private jet with three people from Nigeria, including an Israeli, ‎conveyed the money, said to have been intended for the procurement of arms and ammunition to South Africa.

Members bid to debate the motion on Tuesday but it failed after a voice vote called by the presiding Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, went in favour of the majority, who opposed the debate.

APC members immediately began walking out on the House.

More details later…

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Breaking: $9.3m scandal: APC reps walk out of debate

Oritsejafor, Admits Ownership Of Jet Caught With $10million In South Africa

A private jet seized weekend by South African authorities with a stack of $10 million in cash meant for arms purchase, belongs to the head of the Nigerian Christian community, the aviation ministry confirmed Tuesday.

Ayo oritsejafor

Ayo Oritsejafor, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, had however leased the jet to another party, Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, told PREMIUM TIMES, meaning Mr. Oritsejafor had no control over the use of the aircraft. Mr. Oritsejafor’s church also confirmed the ownership in a separate statement Tuesday. The church said the pastor has a “residual interest” in Eagle Air, a company that manages the aircraft.

“On behalf of Pastor Oritsejafor, we can confirm that although he holds an interest in Eagle Air, the aircraft in question is not operated by Pastor Oritsejafor,” the statement by The Word of Life Bible Church said. The aircraft was leased to, and is operated by Green Coast Produce Limited since August 2, the statement added.

In an earlier statement, Eagle Air Company admitted ownership of the jet held in South Africa for conveying $9.3 million cash for alleged arms deal.

Two Nigerians and an Israeli were caught with the money allegedly meant for buying and supplying weapons to the Nigeria intelligence services.

City Press, a South Africa-based newspaper had reported that the trio, who are already facing investigations, landed at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg on September 5, in the jet from Abuja with the money loaded in three suitcases.

The spokesperson for the South African Revenue Service, SARS, Adrian Luckay, confirmed that customs officers became suspicious when the passenger luggage were unloaded and scanned.

In a statement by its General Manager, Emmanuel Ohaeri, Eagle Air Company also claimed holding a “residual interest” in the aircraft, a Bombader Challenger 600, Registration No 808HG. The company however said it leased the aircraft to Green Coast Produce Limited since August 2.

The statement said, “Our attention has been drawn to press reports in respect of an aircraft (Bombardier Challenger 600, Registration No N808HG) in which our company holds a residual interest.

“We wish to confirm that the said aircraft has since the 2nd of August 2014 been leased to and is operated by Green Coast Produce Limited. The company and Mr. Ortisejafor’s church advised that all media enquiries in respect of the day-to-day operations of the aircraft be directed to the management of Green Coast Produce Limited.

In yet another statement, the management of Green Coast Produce Company Limited confirmed the aircraft had been leased to it, saying such transactions were normal in the aviation industry. The company explained that the aircraft was in turn hired from it by one John Ishyaku and therefore would not be liable for any alleged infractions either in Nigeria or South Africa after the hire.

The company’s director, Shima Adun said in the statement that “On the 5th of September 2014 the aircraft was hired from us by a John Ishyaku. The charter to John Ishyaku was upon the following documented terms: (a) Depart Abuja-Johannesburg on the 5th of September 2014 (b) Return to Abuja on the 6th of September 2014 (c) To wait and return with the passengers”.

The company said as with every other aircraft charter company, its knowledge of the cargo carried on the aircraft was in accordance with the information provided by ABC Limited.

“All cargoes were accompanied by passenger who could readily defend the contents. We are not and cannot be privy to any alleged extraneous cargo transported on the aircraft other than that declared in the agreed terms of hire,” the firm said. “We are not liable and cannot be construed as a party to any alleged infractions, either in Nigeria or South Africa as he case may be, after the hire of the aircraft,” it added.

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Oritsejafor, Admits Ownership Of Jet Caught With $10million In South Africa

Jet Caught With $10million In South Africa Linked To Ayo Oritsejafor

An investigation by SaharaReporters has revealed that a Nigerian private jet caught in Johannesburg with $10 million belongs to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Mr. Oritsejafor.

Ayo oritsejafor

The CAN leader’s private plane with US registration number N808HG was one of two jets cited by South African officials on September 5 Mr. Oritsejafor’s jet arrived South Africa with $9.3 million cash loaded in several suitcases. News of the seizure of the cash broke over the weekend, triggering questions about the ownership of the jets and weapons they intended to purchase.

Nigerian aviation authorities disclosed that one of the jets belonged to Pastor Oritsejafor while the second one was registered to Felix Idiga, the owner of Jafac Aviation Limited.

Two Nigerians and an Israeli defense contractor, Eyal Mesiaka arrived in the jet when they were accosted in South Africa authorities. A South African source disclosed that Mr. Oritsejafor’s jet was released after top Nigerian officials intervened, claiming that the weapons to be purchased had the official blessing of the Nigerian government. The jet arrived with two plastic suitcases and two hand luggages with combination locks only known to the Isreali contractor, according to CityPress

Earlier today, SaharaReporters rang the mobile telephone number of Mr. Idiga. At first, he pretended and claimed that he was the Aide De camp to Mr. Idiga. But when our correspondent identified himself as a reporter from SaharaReporters, he owned he started answering questions relating to the issues but claimed the jet we published on our site wasn’t his own. Asked if he knew of another private jet named in apparent arms buy in South Africa, he asked where we got our information after we read the jet registration number to him. He then denied that his jet was involved, before hastily hanging up the phone.

We were unable to reach Pastor Oritsejafor before going to press.

Jet Caught With $10million In South Africa Linked To Ayo Oritsejafor

Ebola: Private jet owners avoid leasing aircraft

Owners of private jets in Nigeria have become cautious about leasing out their aircraft following the outbreak of Ebola.

Picture of Ebola victim in Victoria Island, lagos

Although, aviation officials had been strictly mandated not to speak on issues concerning the virus, one of our correspondents gathered that most private jet owners had cut down the number of times they leased out their jets.

A senior official with one of the key agencies in the sector told our correspondent many countries had systematically stopped their carriers from flying into Nigeria, thereby heightening the panic among private jet owners in the country.

“Many foreign carriers hardly fly into Nigeria and most of them have officially announced the suspension of flights to countries like Liberia and Guinea where the Ebola virus disease is very pronounced. This is causing panic among owners of private jets and some of them are not giving out their jets to friends and even family members,” the official said.

Another senior aviation official at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport also told our correspondent that airlines like Cameroon Air had suspended their flights into Nigeria.

Pleading anonymity, he said, “We have suspended only Gambia Airline. Others that don’t come into Nigeria are the ones who suspended themselves. For instance, Cameroon Air said they were not coming here and they did that on their own.”

Asked if major international carriers, like British Airways, Kenya Airlines and Emirates, had cancelled flights into Nigeria, the official said, “They are still coming. There is no official communication telling us they have suspended their flights. At least, as at yesterday (Thursday) I know they are still flying into Nigeria but I don’t know if it has changed as at today (Friday).

“However, we do know that many countries are taking all the necessary precautions and many airlines, on their own, are suspending operations into Ebola-hit countries, especially nations like Guinea and Liberia.”

Early this month, British Airways announced the suspension of flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone following concerns about the spread of Ebola.

Dubai’s Emirates Airline also stated that it was suspending flights to Guinea. Pan-African airline Aruj and ASKY suspended all flights to and from the capitals of Liberia and Sierra Leone following the death of a Liberian passenger at the end of July in Lagos.

Officials stated that Chad had also suspended all flights from Nigeria, adding that Nigeria had stopped the Gambian national carrier, Gambia Bird Airlines, from flying into the country.

This, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, was due to “unsatisfactory” measures by the airline to contain the spread of Ebola.

Similarly, on August 11, Cote d’Ivoire announced the ban of all flights from countries hit by Ebola as part of steps to prevent the deadly virus from reaching the West African nation.

The country’s government said in a statement it had forbidden all “carriers from transporting passengers” from these countries. It also said it had decided “on the suspension until further notice” flights by its national airline, Air Cote d’Ivoire, to and from these locations.

At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, an official of the Port Health Authority, who chose to speak on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to our correspondent that VIPs and private jet owners from other countries were usually not screened.

The source said, “Of course, VIPs and private jet owners flying in from other countries are usually not screened. Right now, we are only screening people that come in from West African countries, especially the troubled countries for now.

“One of the reasons for this is because we do not have enough facilities to screen everybody at once, we have to start from the troubled countries first and then move on to others.”

The Minister for Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, had in his maiden briefing with stakeholders and journalists said the screening of passengers into the country was being done in stages for now.

He said, “It is not possible at this stage to screen all the passengers that come into the country because this is still a new problem in our country and we have to start from the known to the unknown.”

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Ebola: Private jet owners avoid leasing aircraft

Court stops House from inviting Alison-Madueke over Private Jet Scandal

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja before Justice Ahmed Mohammed, on Thursday, temporarily stopped the House of Representatives from inviting the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to appear before it for the purpose of investigation until July 3, when the court is expected to hear the substantive suit brought before it by the minister.

Diezani-Alison Madueke

The directives of the court followed complaints by the counsel for the minister, Mr Etigwe Uwah, that the House had, in a letter dated May 3, 2014, invited the minister to appear before its Public Accounts Committee between June 25 to 27, despite the pendency of a suit seeking to stop it from investigating the minister before a court of competent jurisdiction.

Justice Mohammed, in his ruling on Uwa’s application seeking an order of the court restraining the House, directed parties to maintain status quo  until the next adjourned date of July 3.

The minister and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja for an interlocutory injunction to stop the Senate and the House of Representatives from summoning them for the purposes of giving evidence or producing any documents which relate to the official records pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The minister is asking the court for an order to maintain status quo, pending the final determination of the matter on allegation of N10 billion allegedly spent on the charter of air craft.

It will be recalled that at the last hearing of the matter, counsel for Diezani and NNPC, Etigwe Uwah, had prayed the court to grant his request for an order of interim injunction stopping the probe of his clients.

He noted that the Speaker of the House, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, had announced that it would commence investigation on the matter and prayed the court to stop the action, as it would jeopardise the ongoing legal process.

Counsel for the House, A.B. Mahmud, promised to talk to his client not to do anything that would jeopardise the legal process and asked the court to accelerate the hearing of the suit instead of granting an order of interim injunction.

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Court stops House from inviting Alison-Madueke over Private Jet Scandal

Alison-Madueke: Reps apologise to judge over N10b chartered jets case

The House of Representatives has apologised to Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for misconstruing his ruling on the case brought by the Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Tambuwal and the others

The minister was seeking the court’s leave to stop the House Committee on Public Accounts from investigating alleged N10 billion expenses she incurred on chartering jets for private use with public funds.

Addressing reporters at the weekend, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene, said the position of the House was misinterpreted.

Ogene said: “The position of the House at no time was that the court had stopped the committee from functioning. But as it turned out, it was misread to mean that an injunction restraining the committee from carrying out its assignment has been handed out.

“In the light of that, we wish to correct that impression and to say that at no time did Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, issue a restraining order on the House.

“And so, we are sorry for that slip, whichever way it came from; more importantly, to also thank the judge for standing up on the side of justice – at the last, hearing that matter. He refused to grant any injunction restraining the House from going ahead with its business.”

The lawmaker said the House, under the Constitution, has the power to look into the affairs of the Minister of Petroleum Resources as long as she is a public officer and spends funds voted by the National Assembly.

He said: “Some people …have insinuated that the House does not have the right to actually carry on with its responsibilities. And they read parts of the constitution in isolation.

“For anyone who wants to get the correct picture, Sections 88 and 89, when you take both sections, you would come to the easy conclusion that the House is empowered to look into any matter on which it has legislative competence or for which it has appropriated money.”

Ogene said one benefit of the contestation “is that the position of the law remains that no man or woman is above the law”.

According to him, the House of Representatives will not shirk its responsibility at ensuring the proper utilisation of funds appropriated to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and that though every Nigerian or any other resident in Nigeria is at liberty to go to court, “there is a difference between an individual and an official of the state”.

Ogene added: “So, acting in your personal capacity is different from seeking to stop Ministries, Departments and Agencies from being answerable to the Nigerian people. Indeed, any life not worth examining is not worth living. The essence of democracy is to ensure that we examine ourselves.”

On April 28, through its spokesperson, Zakari Mohammed, the House said it had been served with a court notice which was received through the Office of the Speaker.

Mohammed said the House would have to tarry and get legal opinion on the issue before beginning the investigation, which was earlier scheduled to begin on that same date.

But Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the House the nod to continue the case, saying he did not give a restraining injunction to stop the investigation.

Alison-Madueke: Reps apologise to judge over N10b chartered jets case

“I Feel Very Good When People Accuse Me Of Spending Church Money On Private Jets” – Bishop Oyedepo.

 

General overseer and founder of Living Faith Chapel, popularly known as Winners’ chapel, Bishop Oyedepo says he feels good when people accuse him of spending church money on maintaining his private jets.

Oyedepo told Punch why his church is often regarded as the “Church of the Rich”.

He said “It’s for all the people who believe that Jesus already paid for them to be rich. And those who don’t believe, when they come they start believing when they see it happen in a lot of people’s lives. And we are not ashamed to be called the church of the rich. If they call your family poor, will you be excited? Nobody would be excited.

“Even when a family is poor, they hate to be called poor. No man in his right mind enjoys being called poor, and nobody truly wants to be poor, people may pretend. Which is more honourable between being a giver and a beggar? Most of us came in very poor, but the light of God’s word came on us and we walked out of poverty in grand style into wealth and riches.” He boasted.

Explaining why there is so much wealth in the church despite the growing poverty in the land, the General Overseer said, “the kingdom of God is funded by God’s resources. We are not funded by the economy of the world, but by the economy of the kingdom, which has a budget for all of its agenda on earth. We’ve been here since 1999 and we have never had power outage or water shortage. The main players are Nigerians, the builders are Nigerians. There is no building here that any foreign expert took part in. There is no foreign company’s presence here, including the tabernacle. Some of the revered foreign companies here in Nigeria are technicians in Germany, and they are all political contractors, not that they have something special to offer.”

When asked how he feels when being accused of spending church money on private jets, he said, “I feel very good. It’s an opinion. Let me tell you what my understanding of persecution is; it’s simply an opinion harshly expressed. And everybody has a right to his opinion. People who are walking in the truth are hardly bothered when things are said negatively about them because they have nothing to hide. The truth is I have never felt it, some say it’s not human, but I have not. I can’t be wasting my time trying to reply lies because I have too many things to do.

They are doing their work, let me be doing my work too and before they wake up in the morning, I’ve done the next one, so, it doesn’t matter. My idea of it is that, in a football match, you have only 22 people playing with thousands of spectators. And that is the way it is in the journey of life. In every field, you find just few players and many spectators, multitudes. If we don’t know where to place opinions, they will displace us.” he quipped.

“I Feel Very Good When People Accuse Me Of Spending Church Money On Private Jets” – Bishop Oyedepo.

Private jet: Scared Alison-Madueke files suit against National Assembly to stop investigation

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday, instituted a fresh legal action against the two chambers of the National Assembly, challenging their powers to probe allegations that she spent N10 billion on chartered private jets.

The Minister filed the suit on a day the House Committee on Public Accounts invited the her, the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, and Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, to appear before it on June 15 to explain their roles in the alleged N10 billion jet scam.

Others invited were the Managing Director, MD, of Pipeline and Petroleum Products Marketing Company, PPPMC, Mr. Haruna Momoh, Vistajet International Limited and other stakeholders.

The suit

Specifically, the Minister, in the suit prayed the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to go ahead and determine whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 88, 89 and 214 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the legislature or any of its committees are legally and constitutionally empowered and/or competent to personally/physically probe or conduct investigation into allegations of fraud or other criminal activities said to have occurred in agencies under the supervision or control of the Ministry of Petroleum, when agencies exist that are legally and constitutionally empowered to carry out or conduct such investigations into alleged fraud or other criminal acts and prosecute offenders on conclusion of their investigations.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/346/2014, Diezani and NNPC, through their lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome(SAN), insisted that the National Assembly lacked the constitutional powers to summon or investigate allegations of fraud against the Minister of Petroleum.

Consequently, Ozekhome urged the court to issue an order restraining the Assembly, whether by themselves, servants, staff, committees, privies, proxies or any other persons howsoever called, from summoning the applicants or any agencies under the applicants’ supervision or control, to appear before them for the purpose of giving evidence and/or producing any papers, books, records or other documents, which relate to the unpublished official records of the applicants, without the consent of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Seek restraining order

The applicants further prayed the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the legislative House, whether by themselves, servants, staff, committees, privies, proxies or any other persons howsoever called, from further conducting direct personal or physical probe, inquiry and/or investigation into any alleged fraud, corruption or other criminal activities in the agencies under the first applicant’s supervision or control.

Letters to Mark, Tambuwal

Besides, the Minister, through her lawyer, yesterday, wrote two separate letters to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, David Mark and Aminu Tambuwal, respectively, urging them not to take further steps on the probe as doing so would not only amount to contempt of court, but also prejudicial to an earlier suit pending before the High Court.

The applicants argued that it was trite in law that once the pendency of a matter has been brought to the attention of a party, steps should not and ought not to be taken that will prejudice the outcome of the case or render nugatory whatever judgment the court would eventually arrive at.

 

Private jet: Scared Alison-Madueke files suit against National Assembly to stop investigation

Jet scandal; Alison-Madueke plans to sack two aids for allegedly leaking jets information

The controversy surrounding the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke over the reckless spending of N10 billion on chartered jet which was said to have ben provided by the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NPPC) may have ben out of control as the minister has taken it out on those she thinks leak the information.

Minister of Petroleum, Alison-Madueke and NNPC GMD, Andrew Yakubu

Worried by how the information leaked to the public, the embattled minister is read to fire two of her Spacial Assistants. The two Special Assistant is suspected by the Minister as those behind the leakage of the chartered jet.

A former Minister who was recently fired from the cabinet and some other top officials who Diezani also suspected with the leakage is involved in the management fallout.

According to the information that reached the media through a source in the ministry, “There was disquiet in the Minister’s office on Wednesday when some aides were threatened with sack by the Minister. In fact, one of the affected assistants is in charge of a sensitive unit.

“But at the close of work on Thursday, I saw the affected aides in office. No one was sure whether they came to clear their desks or someone from the top has acceded on their behalf. The true picture will emerge on Tuesday when we resume work.”

The controversy has led to a cold war between Alison Madueke and Andrew Yakubu, the Group Managing Director of NNPC.

It was gathered that for the fear of losing the support of the people from Southern Kaduna for President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid, Yakubu was removed from his position last week by the Presidency.

According to the information, The President is hoping on the Northern minorities and Christians to win his election in 2015 against the backdrop of perceived hostility of the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy in the North against his ambition.

Despite the tune the issue has taken, the Hosue of Represenatives has continue his move to investigate the scandal concerning the reckless spending on April 28.

It is gathered that the House of Represenatives Committee on Public Accounts already has documents including the movement log of Challenger 850 jets  in its possession

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the chartered jet scandal has caused considerable disquiet in the presidency leading to a major split in the seat of power.

While some forces are supporting the minister to confront the House Committee by challenging its powers to investigate in court, some friends and associates of the President Goodluck Jonathan are pleading with him to allow the minister bear her cross.

It was, however, learnt that the division has put the minister in a difficult position leading to a desperate moves to reorganise her office and deployment of propaganda by her supporters through the organization of a pocket of pro-Diezani rallies in Abuja.

A top source said: “The chartered jet allegation has put the presidency under undue pressure on whether the Minister should face the probe or not. Although some forces believe that the presidency should live up to its avowed commitment to the fight against corruption, others feel the House should be checked following suspicion that it is using the investigation to undermine the presidency.

“This explains why some people in the presidency are backing Diezani to go to court to obtain injunction to restrain the House Committee on Public Accounts. There is a plan to hang on to legal technicalities to stall the probe.

“Despite plans to frustrate the probe, all is not well in Diezani’s office on how the leakage came about leading to threats to sack two Special Assistants to the Minister during the week. She was said to be uncomfortable with the roles of the SAs on her travel logs with the jet.

“There is so much anger everywhere from the Minister because she has never been under heat like in the past few weeks. During the week, the blame game continued culminating in a cold war between the Minister and some NNPC officials. It got to a stage when she was almost sacking the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu.

“A major source of the war borders on the alleged refusal of the NNPC to pay the outstanding N1.56billion debt on the Challenger 850 jet.

“About 500,000 Euros (aboutN130 million) was paid monthly to hire the jet. The company managing the lease of the aircraft is being owed for 12 months which amounted to about N1.56 billion. The NNPC management was said to be reluctant to pay the debt.

“It is also suspected that some NNPC officials might have contributed to the leakage of information on the chartered jet causing some friction between the Minister and the GMD.

“Also, the GMD was said to be unhappy at being sidelined in decision-making process by the Minister. If she had her way, the GMD would have gone by now.”

It was, however, feared that Yakubu’s sack might trigger political backlash and that “the President would lose the sympathy of Northern minorities who are mostly in the North-Central and some parts of the North-East. The President might lose the support of Northern minority, especially the people of Southern Kaduna, who have been complaining of marginalisation.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “Concerning the GMD’s fate, I am aware that he was in London for a greater part of the week for a meeting of the NLNG. Whatever happened must have been at the top.”

Meanwhile, as the House Committee prepares for its inquiry, more documents and fact-sheets on the chartered Challenger jet have been submitted by firms and individuals connected with the transactions.

One source on the committee said: “We are set for the inquiry although the Minister has refused to respond to queries from the committee. Instead, there was a plot to distract the House by casting aspersions on Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

“We will not join issues with anybody or group on this probe. Rather, we will ensure that we are fair and objective as possible to the Minister and whoever may appear before us.

“So far, we have got relevant information to set the stage for our probe. The Minister appears indisposed to our summons, we will go ahead. No amount of propaganda by media consultants can stop us.

“The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts is already in possession of the manifest of the Minister’s trips. We have also received a fact-sheet indicating that the aircraft lease firm, Vista Jet is being owed N1.56 billion for 12 months at 500,000 Euros (aboutN130 million) per month.

“We now have response from Evergreen, which has provided records of the movement of the jet in question. They, however, did not include the manifest. We understand that they are claiming that officially the other agencies in the aviation sector are to provide manifests for the House Committee.”

Jet scandal; Alison-Madueke plans to sack two aids for allegedly leaking jets information

More trouble for Alison-Madueke as senate threatens summons over Private jet

 

Nigeria’s embattled petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, may be summoned separately by the Senate over alleged shady deals by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and her alleged spending of at least N10 billion public funds on chartered private flights, the senate petroleum committee said Sunday.

Minister of Petroleum, Alison-Madueke and NNPC GMD, Andrew Yakubu

The House of Representatives is currently probing the allegations.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke is currently President Goodluck Jonathan’s most controversial cabinet member and has survived multiple indictments by the National Assembly demanding her removal over alleged mismanagement of the oil sector.

The House of Representatives opened a new round of investigation three weeks back over revelation the minister spent billions of public funds to charter and maintain high end flights for largely personal trips.

The Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) on Sunday threatened to invite the minister to furnish it with those details and those of other NNPC financial transactions.

The committee said the corporation’s management had continuously failed to provide the committee with details of its financial transactions, claiming that it was still collating the financial information being required.

The Chairman of the committee, Magnus Abe (PDP-Rivers), said should the NNPC continue to delay submission of the financial records, the committee would be compelled to summon the minister to appear before it with relevant financial details.

He said that the committee required to be furnished with documents relating to the financial dealings of the oil corporation since 2012 as well as the alleged N10 billion private jets.

According to him, some of the issues include crude swap transactions, rehabilitation of refineries, the volume of petroleum products being sold by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company.

“We have not informed the minister of the delay from NNPC and there are issues we know the minister will be involved but not at this point,” he said.

“But if we cannot resolve it, we will ask the minister to come with NNPC, but at the moment, it is between the committee and NNPC. We can sort this out.

“We asked about the crude swap transactions to know exactly what volumes are being swapped and what the country is getting in return.

“We also wanted information on the rehabilitation of the refineries to know exactly how far they have gone with those programmes.

“We want information on the aircraft that has now become an issue. We have actually asked for this information since last year and we have not seen that.”

While declining to give a deadline for submission of the documents being required, Mr. Abe said the request for the financial details were routine and not out to witch-hunt anybody.

He decried the nonchalant attitude being displayed by the NNPC management which failed to send any representative to a meeting called by the committee last week.

“Oversight also involves taking a detailed look at how things are done, how the country is benefitting from these things and how we can work together to improve what is being done.

“But unfortunately, we have not received the kind of cooperation I would like to see from the NNPC. They said they were still collating this information since last year.

“We still believe they will step up their game and work with us so that we can get the best for the Nigerian people.

“We have given time frames from the start and time frames have not been met, but we believe that this is an issue that neither party will like us to take to the extreme.

“But we don’t think that any public corporation that is being oversight by parliament has a right to keep a committee of parliament in the dark,” he added.

Mr. Abe said the committee could bring the matter to the attention of the Senate leadership if the NNPC continued to hold back financial details from the committee.

(NAN)

More trouble for Alison-Madueke as senate threatens summons over Private jet

Alison-Madueke N10b jet scandal: 5 key agencies to appear before house to testify

 

The House of Representatives’ planned probe of the N10 billion incurred on chartered jet by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, is taking shape.

Diezani-Alison Madueke

The House Committee on Public Accounts has summoned five key agencies to appear before it to testify.

The inquiry may commence on April 29, although some forces in the Presidency are believed to be mounting pressure on the House to shelve the probe.

The forces, sources said in Abuja yesterday, were the brains behind the recent pro-Alison-Madueke rallies in Abuja.

They were allegedly aimed at intimidating the reps.

But the House appears resolute to go ahead with the probe.

It was gathered that some volunteers have reached out to members of the House committee to testify in public.

Investigation also showed that there may be a resort to litigation by forces sympathetic to the minister, with a view to scuttling the probe.

The pro-litigation forces are of the opinion that Section 88(1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution is being abused.

They may ask the court to restrain the House from probing Diezani until the determination of the substantive suit.

Investigation by our correspondent confirmed that the House panel has notified the minister of Petroleum Resources and others to appear before the committee as from April 29.

The notice contains a list of documents the respondents are to bring along to assist the committee’s investigation.

Summoned are: the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

A reliable source in the House said: “We have put the minister and all these agencies on notice on why they have to appear before the House committee and documents expected from them.

“For instance, we are expecting from NNPC all transaction documents on the chartered Challenger 850 aircraft. We have taken note of its defence that chartered jets are used for operation purpose.

“The public should know whether there had been precedence and how much NNPC has spent within a given period on chartered planes.

“If we have a clearer picture, the amount involved might be more than what we are looking into. The list of beneficiaries of chartered jet service might even not be only the minister whom they say the House is trying to crucify for performing its constitutional duties.”

The aviation agencies are expected to produce relevant data, flight logs and evidence of payment of required fees.

The data will be verified with those already in the possession of the committee.

Responding to a question, the source said: “There is pressure on us by some forces to shelve the probe but there is no going back by the House.

“We hope to be fair to all. If the allegations against the minister are frivolous, we will give her a clean bill of health. We have no prejudice against her.”

A second source said the investigation will start from April 29.

“The probe becomes interesting as some volunteers have applied to the committee to appear during the public hearing.

“We have also written some of these volunteers for relevant documents.”

Meanwhile, there were indications last night that some forces loyal to the minister are planning to halt the probe through a court process.

The forces may join issues with the House on Section 88(1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

They are alleging that the said Section 88(1) is being abused by both chambers of the National Assembly.

It was learnt that the forces may ask the court to restrain the House Committee on Public Accounts from going ahead with the probe until the determination of the substantive suit.

Another source added: “I think these forces have realised that sponsored protest marches or rallies have not had the desired impact to stop the probe.

“They are planning to go to court to ask it to determine whether the committee has the powers to conduct the investigation in the light of Section 88(1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

“The real plot is to obtain a perpetual injunction to halt the probe until the determination of the substantive suit. And you know the culture in the National Assembly is to stay action once a matter is sub judice.

“The argument of pro-Diezani is that Section 88(1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution is not absolute.

“But the position of the House is that the constitution is explicit on such an inquiry.”

A pro-Diezani force said: “The National Assembly has really been abusing this section of the constitution to ridicule government officials.

“It is now time to seek the correct interpretation of the section in court and the limit of the powers of the National Assembly.

“Some of us think the intendment of the constitution is different from what the National Assembly is using it for. It is time to call a spade a spade.”

Alison-Madueke N10b jet scandal: 5 key agencies to appear before house to testify

NNPC denies chartering of jet for exclusive use of Petroleum Minister

ABUJA – The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has denied reports that it chartered aircraft for the personal use of the Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Corporation in a statement by its Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said it has not chartered any aircraft for the exclusive use of the Minister of Petroleum Resources or any particular official of the Corporation.

It also noted that contrary to the information being peddled in some quarters; Mrs. Alison-Madueke has not chartered any aircraft for her personal use or the use of her family.

Allison-Madueke

NNPC however noted that in consonance with the legal instrument which establishes the Corporation as a commercial entity to engage in the oil and gas sector, the NNPC in course of discharging its statutory and commercial functions engages third parties for the provision of services outside of its core business.

The Corporation noted that this practice is common and acceptable in the local and international business environment in which it operates.

According to Dr. Ibrahim, more specifically, we would like to state as follows, that “there is nothing prohibiting NNPC from owning or chartering an aircraft. On the contrary, by the enabling legislation, NNPC is empowered to “hold, manage and alienate moveable and immovable property and enter into contracts or partnerships with any company, form or persons which in the opinion of the Corporation will facilitate the discharge of the said duties under this Act’’, Please refer to Section 6 of the NNPC Act, Cap. N123, LFN 2004.

“Operations in the oil and gas sector are time sensitive and often require prompt attention, which cannot be achieved using regular scheduled flights. It is standard practice for large oil and gas Corporation such as NNPC to make use of the most efficient means of transportation to ensure the effective and efficient coverage of the vast scope of critical oil and gas assets under their purview.

“NNPC has always availed itself of the use of owned or chartered aircraft for the purpose of its business, which includes the transportation of its top functionaries.

” In this regard, it is pertinent to note that the international oil Companies operating in joint ventures with NNPC, regularly charter aircraft as dictated by the exigencies of their business. Indeed some have moved from owning their own aircraft to suing the charter opinion. Other national oil companies, such as Sonangol of Angola, have also chosen the charter option.

“The advantages of the charter option include zero capital and maintenance costs resulting in a lower financial outlay and thus an improved cash flow.”

 

NNPC denies chartering of jet for exclusive use of Petroleum Minister

Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke squanders N10bn on Private JetPetroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison- Madueke’s flamboyance attracted attention yesterday at the House of Representatives.

Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison- Madueke’s flamboyance attracted attention yesterday at the House of Representatives.

The lawmakers described her movie star lifestyle, including the maintenance of a chartered Challenger 850 aircraft at N3.1billion, as “wasteful”. The House mandated its Committee on Public Accounts to investigate “this financial recklessness of the Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources” and report back to the House within three weeks.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of the prayers of a motion brought before it by Hon. Samuel Babatunde Adejare ( APC, Lagos).

Adejare, presenting the argument of the motion titled: “Urgent need to investigate the waste of resources on the arbitrary charter and maintenance of a Challenger 850 aircraft for non-official use”, said the minister has spent N3.1 billion of public funds so far to maintain the aircraft.

He said: “In these days of scarce national resources where public finance is shrinking in the face of ever increasing national needs, such as roads, health, education and power, amongst others, an official of government could waste public funds on such luxury as chartering a Challenger 850 aircraft for extra official use.

“In recent times, most states of the Federation have been facing acute shortage of allocations due to the dwindling national revenue, which has reduced the quality of governance and deprived the people of dividends of democracy.

“Based on reliable evidence, the Hon. Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been committing 500,000 Euros (N130 million) monthly to maintain the Aircraft, thus in two (2) years, the Minister had committed at least N3.120 billion in maintaining the private jet, which is used solely for her personal needs and those of her immediate family, which is an appalling act.”

The lawmaker said there were strong indications that the expenditure is only a tip of the iceberg “as several other billions of naira have been allegedly wasted on flying the Jet all over the world, obviously for the leisure of the Hon. Minister and her immediate family on trips that were of no benefit to the country.”

Adejare said: “This colossal waste is currently estimated at N10 billion, which includes the payment of allowances to the crew for the trips, hangar packing and rent, based on the lease agreement.”

He expressed concern that an official of government could be bankrolling “this waste in the face of ever-dwindling public resources, which amounts to a misplacement of priority, impudence and breach of public trust, an action that offends the Fiscal Responsibility Act and all other – laws on fiscal discipline.”

Adejare enjoined his colleagues to take cognizance of the provisions of Section 88 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution which empowers the National Assembly to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated.

The motion, which was not debated, was overwhelmingly supported by members of the House when Speaker Aminu Tambuwal called for a vote. Tambuwal referred the matter to the Public Accounts Committee for further investigation. But Hon. Uche Ekwunife defended the minister.

According to her, what should be of focus is the benefit of her trips on the Nigerian economy. She added that there was no evidence that Mrs. Alison-Madueke had been carrying members of her family on the jet.

She said she had flown on the jet with her locally and internationally and never saw her family members on board. Mrs. Ekwunife said: “What about governors who fly the whole state to collect awards?” (0)

Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke squanders N10bn on Private JetPetroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison- Madueke’s flamboyance attracted attention yesterday at the House of Representatives.