Date Published: 06/02/11

Former Minister's link with Saipem, Daewoo may block return bid

Mrs. Allison Madueke

Former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke alleged romance with Saipem, Daewoo, Opi and Acergy may cost her a reappointment as the Minister for Petroleum Resources.

Sources informed Pointblanknews.com that Mrs. Madueke favored the oil companies with multimillion dollar deals fueling speculation that she may have benefitted from the several deals the foreign oil companies got from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

According to Aso Rock sources the deadliest sling against Mrs. Allison Madueke’s performance as the political head of the Ministry had to do with her deliberate usurpation of the functions and authorities of the de facto CEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, deepening the oil cartel into more secrecy and corrupt diversion of oil proceeds.

Sources said that “Madueke wrecked havoc at all levels of the oil industry in Nigeria. “the invoice on sold crude and actual revenue accruing to the country do not usually tally.”

The foregoing “discovery” and “reality” allegedly, led to the “poor rating” which the NNPC, purportedly, got from an international organization which monitors performance index on integrity and transparency in the sector.

But apart from the rating of Nigeria concerning transparency, which has consistently on a free fall on the watch of Madueke, Dr. Jonathan is also said to be shifting his thinking on her ability to handle the tough oil plans based on the deluge of protests from Bayelsa State. “Our State has been badly blistered based on her non-performance. The President too could suffer an image and performance crisis if he continues to condone her inspite of her non-performance.”

In the forefront of Balyesans who do not want her back is Deremo Peters. Deremo Peters, the President of Contractors Forum, said that she was responsible for reversing the forward-match of Niger-Delta’s development and she behaved as if she was a scourge on the people.

“We yearned for a day when one of our own who understands the plight of the Niger-Deltans will assume leadership and hold its mantle of office as oil minister and formulate policies that will develop our area. Since she handled the saddle she has done nothing positive if she had brought development at least you will see it in our people.”
Ministry insiders in Abuja said that Dezani was “extremely arrogant and conceited” while holding sway as the Minister of Petroleum. They claimed that the proposed reforms in the oil sector which she has lately touted as the reason why some people wanted her out of the Ministry was actually an idea initiated by “thorough bred bureaucrats and technocrats.”

They accuse her of reducing them, i.e. civil servants and other cadre of oil workers to mere “yes-men” thus destroying the independence of the work force. “She always threatened the big stick and Aso Rock influence if one disagreed with her in anything”.

Dieziani advertised sins are indeed lengthy, some of which include are notorious ascendancy as one of the four most powerful women around Mr. President “she is endowed, huge in pocket and she has enormous political weight.” This is often cited as one of the reasons why even the First Lady may have blessed the division of Bayelsans who do not want her back. She got excessive and reckless that the opinion of the First Lady never counted much.

Allison Madueke was accused of promoting favoritism and nepotism. She allegedly jettisoned and shortchanged most established indigenous contractors and openly favored her friends in Shell Oil, West, East and North to the “detriment of South-Southerners”. She often outsourced most works and contracts to foreigners, who go outside to mouth her and the country as a corrupt place. “We suffered greatly under her.” “She intimidated local contractors and businessmen.” Industry insiders got specific in mentioning Saipem, Daewoo, Opi and Acergy as the favored lots under Madueke. It is believed that more funds could be put into circulation and more hands engaged if pipeline, platform jacket contracts are awarded to local contractors as well.

But Diezani has her own “amen voices”. They would resort to sell the idea that the industry is better than the way it was when she first came eighteen months ago. They even blame chauvinism for the low tolerance some people are willing to demonstrate on affairs relating to her.

Her “detractors” do not share this view; they claim that only those who assisted her in looting the Ministry could have an “hail Mary” moment for her. “She started creating explosions and artificial scarcity as well, as she was about to live”. A source at NNPC said early this week, “whatever you report, the slant will not matter, Mr. President believes in her and I think she is going to be back in order to continue the wreck.”