Former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has refuted a statement credited to her begging to be allowed home.
A news medium had claimed the former minister indicted the current Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal where she was said to have spoken with journalists in London.
Alison-Madueke had left Nigeria in 2015 and has domiciled in the United Kingdom (UK) ever since. She currently faces corruption charges in Nigeria and the UK.
The news medium has since pulled down the interview story.
A screenshot has also circulated online alleging that the EFCC amplified the controversial publication on it’s Instagram account.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Alison-Madueke, described the report as “fake” and “concocted.”
In her words:
“I did not grant an interview to anyone and therefore did not say any of the things attributed to me. It is fake news concocted for reasons I do not know”.
In the purported interview, Alison-Madueke was alleged to have pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to permit her to return to Nigeria “to confess to her financial misconduct during her tenure.”
The news medium had also reported that Alison-Madueke spoke to the press in London after a medical visit, and “expressed her readiness to disclose details of the funds she allegedly misappropriated while in office.”
The former minister was quoted as saying:
“I am now a born-again Christian and currently grappling with the second stage of cancer, for which my United Kingdom-based physician has advised me to continue medication for the rest of my life. Yes, no one is flawless, but sometimes, God Almighty permits such occurrences.
“I’ve been accused of financial misconduct during my tenure as the petroleum minister, and it’s true. However, I would like President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to forgive me, allow me to return home, and contribute because life is transient…”
Mrs Alison-Madueke in the interview told PREMIUM TIMES that she did not grant the interview and that she did not say any of the things that were credited to her.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, also denied authoring the post on its Instagram handle
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said “The report is not from the EFCC. Anything that is not signed by me is not from us (the EFCC).”
