By Our Correspondent
THE Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) has taken a swipe at the accusers of the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke over alleged spending of public funds on the hiring of a private jet for her personal use and gave her a clean bill of health.
The Petroleum Minister had been accused of wasting tax payers’ money in the past two years on the hiring of a private jet.
But NDIMRC in a press statement endorsed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Stanley Mukoro, posited that the Minister was innocent of the crime she was being accused of.
The group claimed that; “The current onslaught against the hardworking Minister of Petroleum is part of the game plan of the opposition to force the Minister out of office. We strongly believe that the allegation against the Petroleum Minister has political undertone and it is all about 2015 and President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The group while giving the Petroleum Minister a clean bill of health stated that the main objective of the campaign of calumny against her was to clear the coast for President Goodluck Jonathan to fire the Minister like he did to the former Aviation Minister, Mrs. Stella Oduah.
According to the group, “But our findings have shown that the Minister is not guilty as she has not broken any law as being claimed by her accusers. Those accusing the Minister of wrong doing are ignorant and they should not be taken seriously by Nigerians, especially President Jonathan. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has denied chartering Jet for Alison-Madueke’s exclusive use.”
“The on-going mindless persecution of the World celebrated Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other elements is very worrisome; we have come to the conclusion that these actions against the Minister are politically motivated by those bent on pulling her down at all costs. She has done no wrong and so her accusers should leave her alone in order for her to remain focused to carry out her national assignment,” the group wrote.
While imploring her accusers, especially the APC to halt the dirty politics against the Petroleum Minister, the group said; “But we know very well that her accusers are only out to score cheap political points; but they cannot go far on this their failed mission against the hard working Minister.”
“The Nigerian Petroleum Minister is being respected globally, to the extent that she was recently elected as the Alternate President for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but back home she is being destroyed for political reasons and we dare say that enough is enough of this political vendetta against an illustrious daughter of the oil-rich Niger Delta region who has done the nation proud since she became Petroleum Minister,” the group stated.
The group advised President Goodluck Jonathan to ignore those calling for the sack of the Minister, saying that; “Her accusers do not mean well for the nation; they are the enemies of the Nigerian people. The APC that is championing this wicked campaign against the Petroleum Minister should concentrate on how to win the 2015 general elections, rather than going petty and dirty.”
“We want to restate it here that the APC agenda and other elements cannot stop the re-election bid of the President in 2015. The Petroleum Minister cannot be intimidated as we are strongly behind her,” the group stated.
“The Petroleum Minister is a committed patriot; she is serving her country to the best of her ability. We want to say that all is well with the level of accountability in the oil and gas sector. The recent allegation against the Minister is also aimed at bringing the hard earned reputation of the Petroleum Minister to public ridicule and this is unacceptable to our group and the entire people of the oil-rich Niger Delta.
