Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said last night she was not seeking asylum in any part of the world, as claimed by her traducers.
Madueke,
who spoke through the Group Public Affairs General Manager of Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, denied ever contemplating
relocating from Nigeria.
An online publication reported, yesterday, that the minister had
been denied asylum by six countries, where she had so far applied, but did not
mention the countries involved.
Alegbe said his boss merely went for a short vacation outside
Nigeria and would soon return to her job.
He said the claim that the woman had been denied asylum by six
countries was not only a fabrication aimed at confusing some gullible persons,
but deliberately targeted at smearing the minister and her office.
Alegbe said: “I want to say that the Minister of Petroleum has
never contemplated going on asylum in any part of the world and has never
applied for any.
“The minister has only gone for a short vacation abroad and will
soon return to Nigeria, having no reason to leave her job and country for any
other place.”
The online medium, quoting a group known as Business Council for
Africa, BCA, had said that no fewer than six countries had already refused an
asylum request by Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The BCA gave the impression that the minister would be
investigated under the new administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), even
though he had said that he would not probe his predecessors.
“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that six
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.
By Soni
Daniel, Regional Editor, North vanguard
