Akande Urges Diezani To Return, Face EFCC Cases

Former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has urged former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to return to Nigeria and answer corruption allegations against her.

Naija News reports that Akande spoke on Friday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, following Alison-Madueke’s acquittal by a London court.

He described the UK court decision as “exciting news” but said the former minister still had unresolved cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Akande said, “It’s exciting news. And she should come home and get these matters sorted. She should go through the EFCC cases against her, for which quite a significant portion of her properties have been forfeited.

“I think the time is now ripe for her to come and defend herself in her own country, and let’s see where the pendulum goes.”

Akande said the London court ruling should not be seen as the final word on allegations surrounding Alison-Madueke’s tenure.

He alleged that major questions remained over oil transactions carried out while she was the petroleum minister.

“The fact that cannot be denied is that while she was Minister of Petroleum Resources, there was this strategic alliance that was entered into by the NPDC, an arm of the NNPC, where oil worth $3 billion was sold without any kind of payment or royalties or taxes under the scheme that was called strategic alliance,” he said.

The former presidential spokesman said officials gathered evidence during his time in the Presidency linking Alison-Madueke and two other Nigerians to the controversial arrangement.

“And, while we were in the Villa, we were able to gather enough evidence to indicate that Alison-Madueke and two other Nigerians were those who were actively involved in those ‘strategic alliances’ selling $3 billion in oil. This was a time when oil was selling for over $100 to $120 per barrel,” he stated.

Akande said Alison-Madueke now had an opportunity to clear her name by submitting herself to the Nigerian judicial process.

“If the UK court has not been able to convict her of corruption-related charges, now she feels justified that she didn’t do anything wrong, then I want to encourage her to come home and defend your name,” he said.

He added that facing the EFCC cases in Nigeria would allow the courts to determine the allegations and bring closure to one of the country’s most prominent corruption cases.