Former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke has revealed she was betrayed by the former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi despite throwing her weight behind him in support of his interest to contest for the presidency of the African Development Bank, AfDB.
Diezani who stated this during an exclusive interview with the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, in United Kingdom said that the $20 billion missing fund was framed up by the former apex bank boss to tarnish her hard earned reputation.
Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano had a run-in with the former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s administration close to the end of his tenure as head of the nation’s apex bank, one of which involved an allegation that $20 billion was not remitted into the nation’s coffers by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
On the missing NNPC fund, Diezani said “If there is one issue I must pursue in this world it is the biggest lie of this money. How can $20billion disappear just like that? Where did it disappear to? Is it possible that such an amount would not be traceable?
- “This is more painful coming from someone I considered a good friend who should appreciate the gravity of such allegation. I challenge anyone to come forward with facts showing that I stole government or public money. I’ve never stolen Nigeria’s money…
“Rather, I worked hard to halt the rampant business of round-tripping. When I brought in Reginald Stanley to clean up the place, I requested for a list of the defaulters.
“There were about 92 of them and I made sure we sanctioned them. In fact, we were able to reduce the oil subsidy by about half. No one has applauded our effort.”
Diezani further disclosed; “There were those who said the then Governor of Central Bank must have been angry at me because of the way the Presidency treated him.
- “In all honesty, he was being blocked from seeing the President by some of Oga’s people (presidential aides) but it had nothing to do with me.
“I was the one who even told Oga about the development and Oga said he would meet him in London on one of his trips.
“Unfortunately, my boss fell ill and was rushed to King Edward Hospital and the meeting was aborted.
“Sanusi and I had been friends. There was no way I would have done anything bad to him. He even came to my house to inform me about his interest in heading the African Development Bank and we discussed for about two hours.
“I promised to support him and I spoke to Oga about it. We were together on the Reconciliation Committee that looked into the accounts of NNPC.’’
On allegations she had choice properties scattered across the globe, she said; “It is so sad that anyone could say such about me.
- “Let me say something to you, I live with my husband in the same house we’ve lived since we married in 1999. Ask anyone who knows us. Our house in Abuja was bought in 2007 by my husband and as an architect and lover of interior décor I did it up to our own taste.
“It is not over the top because I have good taste and appreciate bargains. I shop in regular shops like B & Q to do up all the places where I live.
“Anyone who tells you I have houses anywhere should feel free to publish them. That was how they said I bought an expensive property in Vienna. I went to court and I won the case.
“I never saw the house before except in picture. The house I stay in London is rented. As a woman I love to look good. Some of my dresses and jewelleries are often dumped on me by those I buy from and I pay them when I can”
While responding to the urban legend that her sister had borne children for the former President she was firm in her response.
- “That is totally untrue as I don’t have any such sister or relative!”
She added that she wondered how people could fabricate such blatant lies.
Recently, several media outlets reported the former Minister who is battling cancer was arrested by the UK National Crimes Agency. Nation Newspaper claimed that she was arrested with her brothers Abiye Agama and Somye Agama.
In response, her lawyer said: “It is worth emphasizing that Mrs Alison-Madueke was never arrested or detained and her passport was never seized. She was merely invited, and she honoured it promptly.
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