The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been given up till April 28 to respond to enquiries on the N10bn she allegedly spent on chartering a private jet, Challenger 850, for her trips in the last two years.
Findings showed that the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, which gave the deadline, would also open a public hearing on the allegation on April 28.
''The committee will proceed with the public hearing, whether or not, the minister responds to our enquiries.
She has been given adequate respect as a minister and public officer by the committee.
Our letters were sent to the minister as far back as March 26,” a source close to the committee, confided in Sunday PUNCH in Abuja.
It was learnt that the committee gave the deadline just as the original period given to it to produce a report on the probe expired on April 9.
The House had passed the resolution on the investigation on March 10.
It gave the committee, which is headed by Mr. Solomon Olamilekan, three weeks to conclude the assignment and produce a report.
However, findings indicated that a combination of factors, including Diezani’s alleged refusal to respond to enquiries and pressures mounted on the committee to soft pedal on the matter, had delayed the committee’s work.
The delay was said to have dove-tailed into the start of a three-week Easter break, which the House began on Thursday, April 10.
Another committee source claimed the “delay and all the shenanigans” would not deter the committee from proceeding with the public hearing.
The source, who did not want to be named, added, “We have scheduled a public hearing on the matter for April 28.
“I believe the committee will do all that is within our power as contained in the legislative right and privileged acts to ensure justice.
“Don’t forget that we all, as elected or appointed officials of government, are not above the laws of the land.”
Although, the original mandate of the committee was to investigate the alleged N10bn expenditure on the Challenger 850, the committee stumbled on additional information indicating that Alison-Madueke chartered two other jets.
One of them, a Global Express XRS, was said to have cost €600,000 in a return charter trip to London.
When contacted to comment on the failure of the committee to meet the initial three-week deadline, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said the House would normally not interfere with an ongoing investigation.
He explained that since the committee had not lodged a complaint of facing any difficulties, the House would allow it the discretion to complete the assignment.
Mohammed added that it was likely the committee was trying to exhaust all legal avenues to get invited government officials to respond to enquiries.
“We believe the committee is on course.
“They may not want to stampede the minister. Certainly, as a government official, it is not possible that she will not reply to letters from the House.
“The minister herself knows the implications of doing that; so, the committee is working”, he stated.
Meanwhile, Alison-Madueke is reported to be gathering a team of seasoned lawyers to guide her.
It was learnt that the lawyers were working with the legal arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to provide a defence that would justify how the minister has not broken any law that empowers the corporation to charter planes for oil operations.
Several efforts made by our correspondent to speak with the NNPC on the details of the allegation have been abortive.
NNPC spokesman, Mr. Omar Ibrahim, had justified the use of the jet by the minister but did not give details of how much the minister has spent on chartered jets.
"Live" Diezani alone Ooooooo...ehn-ehn...
ReplyDeleteYomslaw! I see you for dream were you dey do rally for APC, you sure say no be him be cause of this your appearing and disappearing mode? Pepper just dey ask because this na the third tym, the other day I see were you dey do with them that their midnight meeting wey they do finish starting to dey sleep or dey play chase amidst important house meeting.
DeletePepper don throwey!
Going to check on M-amies DH.
Pepper the executive flyer.
Samira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
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And you are a man?
DeleteSamira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Samira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Igbo Spelling lessons to the FAKE Peter who is obviously not IGBO like the real Peter...
DeleteSay after me ...A-K-W-U-N-A...literal meaning prostitute...
Pray tell is this Akwuna your family name?
Have fun fake Peter..did I say I LOVE yo sense of humor?
The family name suits you well too.
Mwaaaaaaah
Peter is not igbo @Aku
DeleteSamira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Samira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Eleyi gidi gaaan u hv gone mad
DeleteSamira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Peter the fool
DeleteOkija wife aka original peter well done
DeleteNa lepa shandy
DeleteSamira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
You and samira should get a room.mad man
DeleteSamira is the only real person on this blog others are fake.I used to like pink shell untill she insulted sweet mother.
ReplyDeleteI hate Ezewanyi and Linda Eze with a passion not forgetting Aku the Akunna.
Women arise lets flush these women out of this blog.
Peter why you dey shout like this, you talk am once, we done hear! Abeg keep space make other people see where they go put seat nack torey.
DeletePepper quenching peter.
Kilode now..WTF is Ʊя stress..abeg park well
DeleteN10bn in just 2 Years on private jet charters and shii..and the common man can't afford to buy kerosene or even eat good food, not to talk of power supply and good roads........so much for being a Nigerian. This woman doesn't know God, let alone fear him. Her conscience is so dead. Her kids fly PJ and spend the Benjamins like nobody's bidness while an average Naija family don't even know where their next meal would come from.
ReplyDeleteHer kids fly just jet and not the executive ones. Only me magaquega! Flys the executive one, well pimped! Ose oku na erere
DeleteThe gipsy lady
Pepper the hottest!
I jst wonder the amount she gave to dose illitrate women bin abj saying we love her no mater wot she s doing leave alison alone... And d NANS agberoes dat shuld be in skool studying instead protecting dat dey shuld let her b.... I even dey fink say na she help jona customize d Iphones sef so to bribe....... 9ja the lawless country.....
ReplyDeleteOches
.
Ok. #shruqs# dunno y I'm restless dis morninq.
ReplyDeleteDiamondblinqz are u sure you are not pregnant? Or could it be as a result of taking care of 6 kids for the week.
DeletePepper sees all.
Pepper lol... U actually c all. But no I didn't take care of one let alone six. Okay + I'm not preqnant
DeletePepper d seer!!!
in NIGERIA,everything is legal until u get caught..DIEZANI;PELE!!!!
ReplyDelete10 billion in a country where more than 50 percent of the population cannot afford 3 square meals daily!!!!!! God is watching these leaders on 3D
ReplyDeleteOk,she done hear una,nw swerve! EVE E UME
ReplyDelete"Deadline"? "Respect as a minister"??? Why are we so messed up in this country? If it was a common man now,they'll be quoting laws & talking crap! Give this woman heat joor! What nonsense!
ReplyDeleteIf her hands are clean then nothing to fear.
ReplyDeleteI rily dunno who can represent us well..all these women sha have one issue or the other..*smh
ReplyDelete