Following her failure to get President Jonathan and the ex-head of state, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar secure a soft landing deal for her from Gen Buhari last weekend, Nigeria’s controversial petroleum minister, Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke has fled the country to the United Kingdom.
Forumspotz Media is reporting that a reliable source in the presidential villa said that “madam had to take off far ahead of the inauguration of the government of Gen Buhari because she is scared he may turn his searchlight on the oil sector.” Ironically, the minister who is widely known to travel around in private jets had to travel this time in the first class cabin of the British Airways flight.
When contacted to confirm the minister’s whereabouts, one of her aides who asked for anonymity confirmed Alison-Madueke indeed left the country on Monday morning but gave a different reason for the trip. According to the minister’s aide “it is true the Hon. Minister traveled but she went to take care of her health because she has been down medically and she needs proper medical attention.”
Asked when the minister will be back in the country, the aide said “no one can say when she will be back. That depends on her health and the advice of her doctors. She may come before May 29, she may decide to stay back with her children over there till anytime to take care of herself.”
Mrs Alison-Madueke is yet to account for the $20 billion which the former CBN governor and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has continued to insist was diverted from the federation account by the minister and her cronies in the NNPC.
