Private Jet Fraud: We Won’t Probe Alison-Madueke –Presidency

In Nigeria today, you can spend as much money as you like if you are close to the President. How sad!

The Presidency said that it will not probe the allegations of misappropriation of public funds levelled against the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is an in-law President Goodluck Jonathan.

The president's aide on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, said the Government would not set up a probe panel to look into the minister financial reckless because the House of Reps is currently probing her.

“The Federal Government cannot set up a probe panel just on things that have not been substantiated as such. The information I have is that the House of Representatives is looking into the matter and they want to invite the honourable minister. Definitely, the right thing is to wait for the outcome of such an interaction before anybody can decide to do anything.”

But when Stella Oduah's BMW scandal broke, the same Presidency set up a three-man committee to probe her on the armoured car fraud while National Assembly was investigating her. So, what is now different?

You may wish to know that Alison-Madueke lavished as much as N10bn on a chartered Challenger aircraft in two years, in a country where the minimum wage is just N18,000 and government revenue is declining.

Anyway, sources say members of the House of Reps committee that should probe the ministers are under some form of pressure from above because she is President Jonathan's in-law. And this is why even the probe by House is yet to start.

In his reaction: National Coordinator of Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People, Alhaji Amitolu Shittu, said President Jonathan should simply resign if he can not rule Nigeria without sentiments.

“Why should Allison-Madueke not be probed? Is it because she is helping the President to stash away money for his coming re-election? This is why the letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be revisited,” Shittu said.