Diezani: Allegations of corruption, recovered assets baseless, aimed at tarnishing her legacy–Source

 

 

Ayodele Olalere

A source and ally to the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke has said that allegations of misappropriated funds and recovered assets leveled against her were fabricated and part of a continuous deliberate campaign to malign her character and erase her contributions to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

According to the source who doesn’t want his name mentioned, said the former minister who was also the first Nigerian female executive director of Shell Nigeria and the first female president of OPEC, is credited with spearheading transformative policies in the oil and gas industry.

It added that during her time as minister, the oil and gas industry witnessed significant strides, including the critical promotion of local content in the downstream service sector and in oil exploration and production, which empowered numerous Nigerian companies and professionals in an industry previously dominated by foreign interests.

The source further said her achievements made her a target of blackmailers .

“Diezani ’s work disrupted entrenched power structures in the oil sector, and this is why she’s being hounded and vilified
She defiantly opened up the sector to all. She refuted accusations of briefcase companies and again pointed to the fact that they all had to fulfill already established laid down criteria to enter into the sector,” the source said.

“Those who benefited from the old system were then and now determined to rewrite history and destroy her legacy,” it added.

The source said allegations against Alison-Madueke often center on sensational claims of asset recovery and corruption, with figures cited in the media ranging into millions of dollars and insisted that these claims lack substance and are baseless.

“The so-called recovered assets are either exaggerated or outright falsehoods. There has been no direct link or evidence of this so-called loot traced to her name directly, or transparent audit, or verification of these claims, or any strong evidence linking her to these returned assets, yet they are presented as fact to the public. This is not about Diezani at all; It’s the oldest game in the media and Nigerians keep falling for it. It is about distracting Nigerians from the real corruption that continues unabated and unchecked in the system.”

He said there are no concrete evidence against the former minister adding that she has been battling ‘ the most aggressive form of breast cancer, Triple Negative Breast Cancer.’

A member of the Bayelsa Youth Association worldwide carpeted mischiefmakers for using her the minister’s state of health to discredit her.

“Using her health challenges as a weapon to discredit her is cruel and unjust. Rather than acknowledging her current plight with empathy, her detractors have turned it into another tool to vilify her. This shows the lengths to which they are willing to go to tarnish her name.”

The media have also been blamed for allegedly propagating unverified allegations against her

“The media is supposed to be the watchdog of society, not a megaphone for unverified claims. Unfortunately, in Diezani’s case, the press has chosen sensationalism over integrity. Nigerians deserve better; they deserve facts, not fiction.”

The source is urging Nigerians to look beyond the headlines and demand accountability not just from the accused but also from those making the accusations.

“It’s time to ask critical questions: Where is the evidence? Why haven’t these allegations been substantiated through due process? Who benefits from tarnishing Diezani’s image?” asked a Niger Delta leader and supporter of the embattled minister.

Supporetes also call on the government to adopt a more transparent and equitable approach to addressing corruption in the petroleum sector, rather than singling out individuals as scapegoats.

“Diezani Alison-Madueke’s legacy is one of courage, innovation, and transformation. She deserves to be remembered for standing up to the foreign multinational”s interests in order to give Nigerians a bigger share of the petroleum sector and a bigger share of the commensurate profits, as well as for her many stellar contributions to the oil and gas sector, not vilified with baseless accusations,” said the source.