NNPC $50 Million Bribe: More Documents Link Officials ...As NNPC Denies

Prince Bola Ajibola

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation may have unknowingly initiated an unprecedented public relation fiasco by it attempt to rubbish what the international law community views as “serious and disturbing” concerning accusation that people acting on its behalf bribed international arbitrators with $50 Million to secure judgment against Gulf-Petrec, a United States company in 2006.

The Gulf-Petro/Petrec had sued the NNPC in the United States District in the Eastern district of Texas under racketeering, influenced corrupt organization Act and was unable to achieve jurisdiction until after filing criminal charges against NNPC, its officials and the arbitrators. The case was dismissed by the Federal Supreme Court in Geneva, Switzerland for lack of jurisdiction because no Swiss was involved in the bribery allegation.

Based on the jurisdiction provided by the Swiss Court dismissal of the case, Gulf-Petrec is praying the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal in New Orleans, Louisiana to remand the case back to the Eastern District Court in Texas where the plaintiff’s appellant, isasking for $1.75 Billion as compensation for breach of contract on a Joint Venture Agreement, JVA with NNPC that would have ensured multi-faceted initiatives for curbing environmental pollution and oil waste.

Pointblanknews.com learnt that the plaintiff’s appellant is relying on the 14 th Amendment due process clause of the United States Constitution to pursue the case.

The Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma in a letter to Pointblanknews.com had attempted to discredit exclusive reports on proven documents that showed that unethical practices may have been involved on how earlier judgments were awarded against the American company.

Ms. Sena Anthony

Dr. Ajuonoma who did not produce any document to counter the ones published by Pointblanknews.com linking it officials in the bribery scandal had said “we wonder what you stand to gain by making unfounded and libelous allegations on an issue which was exhaustively treated more than three years ago. Our position, which was made very clear those many years ago, in a Press Release dated October 18, 2005, remains valid.”

In the said 2005 press release NNPC had said: Based on the above, it is unimaginable for any person working in NNPC or an eminent legal jurist of international repute like Prince Bola Ajibola to conspire to bribe or perpetuate any bribery of any of the arbitrators.”

Contrary to what Dr. Ajuonuma wants the public to believe, the matter has stuck like an albatross around the neck of NNPC. For sure NNPC would be in the dock on September 6, 2007 in New Orleans, concerning the same allegation purportedly “laid to rest three years ago.”

In the United States, swearing false oath is viewed as felony with long jail term. It is also difficult for anyone to come before the law court with forged documents. Some of the documents, authenticated by England certified graphologist and U.S court forensic experts and already tendered in a court in U.S shows that arbitrators exchanged correspondences raising concerns over the shortfalls of the bribe money and querying why Prince Bola Ajibola would want to short-change them $19Million. A copy of the letter was later sent to Chief Sena Anthony, the NNPC GGM, Corporate Secretariat/ Legal Division who in a reply assured the doubting and seemingly frustrated Arbitrators of adequate compensation.

According to the letter written by one of the arbitrators dated on 21 September 2002 and addressed to Andrew Berkeley, another London based arbitrator, it reads: “ I must confess after our telephone conversation yesterday, I am not happy that Ambassador Ajibola would keep for himself $19 Million for the “so called others in Switzerland” who have interceded to scale the NNPC, through whatever that may mean.”

The letter continues: “This appears to be a misrepresentation of what he had led us to believe and expect. Now he is out of office, how do we go from here? Do we forget about it all? Do you really believe Sena Anthony when she told you she would use her connections with the President to redress this situation? Although Mr. Faulk appears to us as a crook, I am beginning to regret that we did not stick to our original judgment. Please advise anyway.”

Sena Anthony, the GGM, Corporate Secretariat/ Legal Divison thereafter replied: “I received your letter of 22 September together with that of Mr. Meakin to you of the day and date before. As confirmed by telephone discussion with you, although Prince Ajibola is no longer Nigeria’s High Commissioner to UK we are all working together on this case. I am still in charge. As long as we are winning the GMD (Gaius Obaseki) and the President will consider any reasonable amount not too much to spend to defeat the claims of Petrec and their associates companies. I trust with this assurance, you colleagues will be able to trust that I shall surely not let you and your colleagues down.”

In an earlier letter dated 25 March 2002 from Andrew Berkeley to Sena Anthony he said: Thanks indeed for your letter of 18 March to which I now hasten to reply. I missed your telephone call. You are indeed one of the most remarkable ladies I have ever met. I have already spoken to Prince Ajibola. I hereby confirm to you again that all is under control here. So pass on this to your GMD. La Live and Schneider have assured me Petrec’s case will be dismissed. Petrec’s counsel nearly rocked the boat by attempting to introduce Nigerian’s company law Section 37 at the Federal Swiss Court. However, he was persuaded by his mentor to drop that line of action. He did so at the last minute in spite of protestation by Mr. Faulk.”

The letter continues: “I have persuaded Ian to overlook the $19 Million with Ajibola. I assured him as you are powerful with the president, you have promised to make up for any shortfall caused by prince Ajibola deciding to keep hold on the $19Million. John Miles is at present at loggerhead with Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw, and hopes to transfer to Hunton&Williams &Co very soon. Moreover, our rapport will extend to all arbitration in which the NNPC is a party. I look forward to seeing you shortly in Europe. This time not in the arbitration room but at a champagne party for NNPC’s victory over those Texas villains and con-men who attempted and now has failed to use Abacha the greatest Nigerian military thief to rob Nigeria of her Billion dollars.”

However, sources hinted that the woman at the center of the bribery scam, Sena Anthony who according to documents obtained by pointblanknews.com signed all the correspondences to the international arbitrators on the bribe money has recently changed her signature in order to claim that the ones tendered at the U.S courts are forged. The sources added that the U.S court may compel her to produce documents signed by her since her appointment into NNPC.

Pointblanknews.com reported on the documents being tendered before the duly constituted Eastern District Court of Texas and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, Louisiana in New Orleans. Forensic experts told our reporters that if anything was tinkered with it probably happened on the side of the accused Nigerian officials.

Pundits told pointblanknews.com that in order to be seen as transparent and honest that the NNPC should have as a matter of “standard procedure,” allowed the serious allegations of bribery to be put to litmus test through a judicial of inquiry.

Click to see some documents already certified by England certified Graphologist and U.S certified Court Forensic experts.

1. Andrew Berkeley writes Anthony over Prince Bola Ajibola short-changing arbitrators.
2. Sena Anthony Assures arbitrators over shortfalls in $25 Million Bribe
3. Berkeley replies Anthony on letter of assurance.
4. Anthony alerts Gaius Obaseki over his removal and urging him to discard documents relating to the Bribe money.
5. Shows Anthony thanking arbitrators and confirming the reciept of the bribe money.
6. Berkeley writes Anthony confirming fears raised by Ajibola that the $25Million bribe money in Nigeria's High Commissions account could raise queries from the National Assembly.