Legal luminary, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has debunked persistent allegations of corruption against former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, asserting that no stolen Nigerian funds have ever been traced to her by UK authorities.

In a statement released on Sunday titled, ‘There is no such thing as Diezani Loot,’ Ozekhome stated, “The immediate past Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, confirmed to her lawyers that no funds from the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria have been found ever stolen by her.”

He said that the former minister, who has been under investigation by UK authorities since October 2015, has not been charged with misappropriating public funds despite nearly a decade of scrutiny.

According to Ozekhome, Alison-Madueke’s prolonged ordeal stems from baseless allegations, unverified narratives, and public vilification rather than concrete evidence.

“DAM (Diezani Alison-Madueke) has continued to face relentless defamation and misinformation. Her name is routinely linked to allegations and properties, like the recent case of the ‘Galactica Yacht,’ which she neither owned nor ever set eyes on,” he said.

Ozekhome referenced court rulings to support his client’s case, particularly a decision by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which cleared parties linked to a Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) of wrongdoing.

“Let us be very clear about this: the issues of non-payment of the cash-calls that subsequently arose in the Atlantic Energy SAAs had nothing whatsoever to do with the initial contract award which followed due process and was properly made.

“Those issues arose as a direct result of the manner of operational implementation and supervision and had nothing whatsoever to do with DAM. She was never involved in any way or manner.

“As a matter of fact in April 2014, as soon as she was brought to her attention by an external multinational head that there were some issues regarding the Atlantic Energy SAAs, she immediately took strong and direct action by promptly alerting Mr. President, the Permanent Secretary (PS), of MPR and the GMD-NNPC, in writing, and directed that an immediate two-week investigation be carried out.

“Following the resulting investigative report, DAM again directed in writing to the PS, MPR and the GMD-NNPC, with Mr. President’s knowledge and approval, that a process for the recovery of the unpaid cash-call be immediately put in place,” he said.

He noted that the yacht in question was reportedly forfeited by businessman Kola Aluko, who had valid contracts with the NNPC.

The lawyer emphasised that Alison-Madueke’s role as minister was limited to endorsing contracts already vetted by the NNPC, adding, “She merely followed due process as required by her statutory duties.”

Ozekhome also shed light on the former minister’s health struggles, revealing that she underwent chemotherapy for cancer shortly before being detained in the UK.

“Despite battling for her life and surviving on goodwill from friends and family, she has faced unrelenting public scrutiny and baseless accusations,” he lamented.

PUNCH

President-elect Donald Trump has proposed that the United States should get a 50 percent ownership of TikTok.

Trump made the proposal just less than 24 hours to his inauguration as the 47th President of the US.

The suggestion is coming just hours after the ban on TikTok came into effect in the country.

It was reported that the Supreme Court in the US had ruled that a controversial ban on TikTok may take effect on Sunday.

The apex court rejected an appeal from the popular app’s owners that claimed the ban violated the First Amendment.

However, Trump took to his Truth Social on Sunday to announce that he will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect.

According to him, this is to allow the parties to make a deal to protect US national security.

He said: “I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.

“Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, says it is undertaking rehabilitation of pipelines and depots to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure.

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, CCCO, of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye stated this in an interview with journalists on Saturday.

He noted that the ongoing rehabilitation project, which is expected to be completed within 2 to 3 years, would resolve longstanding challenges in petroleum distribution.

Soneye further explained that upon completion, Nigeria will achieve sustainable crude oil supply to refineries, seamless product distribution through pipelines, reduced reliance on trucks, improved energy security and reduced fuel importation, lower transportation costs and reduced road hazards caused by fuel tankers.

In his words: “We can assure Nigerians that NNPC’s pipeline and depot rehabilitation project is With a structured financial model, strategic partnerships, and committed execution, the initiative is set to resolve longstanding challenges in petroleum supply and strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure for the long term.”

He continued that though there are limited financial resources, which continues to pose a challenge in executing both refinery and pipeline rehabilitation projects simultaneously, “we are exploring creative and innovative approaches to ensure a cost-effective funding model to proceed with the pipeline and depot rehabilitation.”

The company, Soneye acknowledged, has already designed a robust rehabilitation plan for the pipelines and depots, and would be deploying a new financial model – Finance, Build Operate and Transfer (FBOT) approach,” he stated.

Speaking further, he noted that apart from the fact that the ongoing activities won’t be limited to the construction of new crude oil and product pipelines to replace obsolete ones, he opined that advanced technology would be provided to enhance pipeline security, prevent vandalism and rehabilitation and modernization of storage terminals to support.

According to him, the NNPCL is working towards transforming Nigeria into a self-sufficient producer and net exporter of refined petroleum products and the very first step in that direction is the successful rehabilitation work that has birthed the renewed operations of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

“The rehabilitation and upgrade of the Old Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries by the end of 2024 marked a significant milestone in this journey.

“And, as you know, work on the new Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries is at advanced stages, reinforcing the commitment to eliminating fuel importation,” he stated.