Six Countries Turn Down Petroleum Minister Alison-Madueke’s Asylum Request, BCA Report Says

The report, dated March 2015, focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections. It said the notorious Minister, whose impunity is known to have been closely-protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will be coming under the microscope for the first time in her Ministerial career.

No fewer than six countries have already refused to grant an asylum request by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Business Council for Africa (BCA) said in its just-released monthly report, noting that about US$ 1 trillion is the latest estimated figure of the ong of the

Nigerian treasury between 1960 and 2005 alone.

The report, dated March 2015, focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections.

It said the notorious Minister, whose impunity is known to have been closely-

protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will be coming under the microscope for

the first time in her Ministerial career.

“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that 6 countries have

already refused to grant her asylum to live in their countries as she now wishes to

leave Nigeria at the earliest possible opportunity,” it said BCA recalled President-elect Muhammadu Buhari lamenting that the rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption, one where stealing is not corruption but a way of life, and that his administration will pursue all public

offices and individuals who are believed to be guilty of corruption.

It observed that despite an earlier promise, it is now understood that Buhari’s anti-

corruption fishing net will include Ministers currently serving under President

Goodluck Jonathan. Alison-Madueke’s departure from Nigeria is likely to be

followed by several other PDP elders, party members and supporters as well as

some former Government officials, as Buhari's anti-corruption drive will be far-

reaching. “It will be very interesting to learn in the coming months exactly how far back in

Nigeria's history his administration will go in the pursuance of those who have

robbed Nigeria of US$ 1 trillion, which is the latest estimated figure of theft from

the Nigerian treasury between the period 1960-2005. Given that President

Jonathan's administration is considered the most corrupt of any of its

predecessors, that figure is going to be considerably magnified, but whether the

new President will wish to pursue former Heads of State is a matter of interest and

considerable debate to Nigerian observers. It is this subject that is primarily

responsible for Buhari's success in winning the election as well as his campaign

promises to eradicate Boko Haram, revive the economy and rebuild Nigeria to make

its position as the number one country in Africa.

While BCA agreed that the March/April 2015 were “the most credible elections in

Nigeria's history”, it said they could not be called the most incorruptible.

On the contrary, it referred to them as the worst because of the amount of money

that the PDP so freely and openly spent on trying to secure the re-election of Mr.

Jonathan. “The stories and reports from throughout the 36 States of the amount of money

distributed by the PDP to elders, rulers, church leaders, unions and youth leaders

amongst others in an endeavour to favour the voters towards the PDP has

backfired badly,” the report said BCA said that if the 2011 elections were considered bad, the 2015 elections will

undoubtedly go down as the most corrupt in Nigeria's history, certainly since 1999,

as the amount of money being distributed as bribes primarily by the PDP so very

openly would readily confirm.

It reported that since November when campaigning began, President Jonathan and

General Buhari during their travels made no fewer than 109 promises of what they

intend to achieve if given the mandate in the presidential election.

“President Jonathan's campaign continued to hinge on his party's Transformation

Agenda and the achievements of his Government in the last 4 years, particularly in

the agricultural sector, job creation and the empowerment of women,” the report

said. In that regard, it credited Jonathan as having achieved a great deal during

his tenure.

It said it was however Jonathan’s failures - rampant corruption, insecurity, inability

to eliminate the Boko Haram insurgency, failure in such sectors as the economy,

and power in particular, and the overall feeling that he was ruled rather than led -

that have cost him his re-election bid.

The report also stated that in the 2015 elections, up to 250 Nigerians lost their

lives, describing that deplorable record as speaking volumes for the control

achieved by the Police at the campaign rallies by the two main candidates.

It described the cost of the campaigns of the two main parties as “simply

staggering”, noting that by the first week of March, Buhari had spent some N332.58

billion as compared to the expenditure of President Jonathan which amounted to

N1.05 trillion.

“This is without taking into account the cost of other expenses for such items as

campaign rallies, where the PDP has spent N1.06 billion against Muhammadu

Buhari's APC's N595.08 million, and clearly demonstrates the desperate lengths

that the PDP have gone to in order to try and secure the re-election of President

Jonathan.”