Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke,
has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of
displaying lack of understanding of the constitutional powers of a
president in managing funds meant for security/intelligence agencies.
Recall that the agency early this week in a report, alleged that she
withdrew N1.3 billion from the account of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Reacting to the report, the Minister in a statement issued on her
behalf by her media aide, Clem Aguiyi and sent to The Cable, said the
anti-graft agency ought to seek clarity about the process for release of
funds requested by security/intelligence agencies.
Quoting Section 5 of the Constitution, Alison-Madueke said all
executive powers are vested in the president who may exercise it
directly or through the vice-president or ministers.
She argued that as minister of petroleum resources, she was an appointee and delegate of the president.
“On the issue in question, the minister of petroleum resources acted
on the basis of the written approvals and directives given by the
president, which approvals were given after written requests from the
relevant security agencies were made to the president,” she said.“At such instances, as in fact the article clearly shows, a service
chief or intelligence chief, makes a written request/appeal to Mr
President outlining whatever urgent and critical security needs of the
nation they consider imminently paramount, at any given point in
time. If such a request received the approval of the president, the
president may direct that the requested funds be drawn from a security
budget maintained by NNPC, or that the funds be sourced from
elsewhere. Where the president directs the minister of petroleum
resources, in writing, to make the payment from the NNPC, the minister
in turn, directs the GMD NNPC in writing to execute the directive of the
president. NNPC then wires the funds from one of its major foreign bank
accounts, or from the CBN, directly to the stipulated account of the
particular branch of the armed services, or intelligence unit, or
department, that initiated the request. It is not within the powers or
discretion of any minister to question, flout or disregard the written
directives of the president, including that of the incumbent president.”
The embattled former minister maintained that at no time did she interfere with this process.
“It is therefore, impossible and implausible, for any monies under
such presidential directives to be diverted during the process, at least
from the standpoint of the minister. Any and all amounts approved and
directed by Mr. President to be paid, were executed exclusively by NNPC,
directly from NNPC’s foreign and or, Central Bank of Nigeria accounts,
to the stated recipients. Therefore, let it be very clear, that all
funds disbursed by these banking institutions on behalf of NNPC are
easily and openly traceable, and the process cannot and should not be
utilised for the distortion of facts, vendetta or political mischief.”
she said