Reps Summon Jonathan Over Malabu Oil Deal

By Baron Ike
Even as the Federal Government is planning the extradition of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke in connection with the Malabu Oil deal, the House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee investigating the award of Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 has formally asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before the House to explain his role in the alleged diversion of $1 billion.
Allegation of corruption, malpractices, and breach of due process has been said to have characterized the Malabu Oil Deal.
The House Committee said in the interest of thoroughness, natural justice and fair play, it was only fair that evidence be sought from Jonathan.
Rasak Atunwa, Chairman of the House Committee on Downstream said while interacting with newsmen yesterday, July 5 in Abuja on the outcome of the investigation by his committee that Jonathan had been invited to come and shed some light on the matter.
He said the invitation of the former President will determine the next steps to be taken by the committee, adding that the committee had conducted extensive investigation into the OPL 245 issue.
He gave reasons for the invitation extended to Jonathan.
His words: “Jonathan was the President at the material time the ministers brokered the so-called resolution agreement that led to the allegation of $1 billion diversion of funds and Jonathan’s name featured in the proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor of Milan in Italy.
“A UK Court judgement in relation to an application to return part of the money being restrained alleged that the Jonathan administration as not having acted in the best interest of Nigeria in relation to the deal.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation at the material time, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who, of course, has been charged in relation to the case by the EFCC, has recently instituted proceedings in court. He pleaded that all his actions were as instructed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, the committee has decided to request that former President Goodluck Jonathan to give evidence to the committee, as to his role in the matter. The secretariat will write, him asking for his response and submissions.”
However, Atunwa said the former president was at liberty to make a written submission to the committee or otherwise, noting that the former president’s response would determine the next line of action to be taken by the Committee.
“Section 89 of the Constitution requires that we ask for the evidence; we’ve asked him for evidence and he must give evidence, we have asked him to give his response and submission.
“A matter entirely for him is, he may desire to send us a written submission, and we consider every written submission. We take it one step at a time.
“The normal proceeding for a committee hearing investigating such matter is to take a written submission and whatever comes out of that will have to be decided at the committee level,” Atunwa explained.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the matter already with the EFCC ran into a hitch last month as the prosecution could not bring Adoke to court as promised.
Regardless, the Federal Government is making all necessary arrangements to extradite to Nigeria, Adoke, to face charges of fraud.
Others allegedly involved with him in the scandal will us also be brought back to face justice.
Indications that the prosecution has run into trouble emerged when the prosecution had difficulty bringing Adoke and his co-defendants home to come and face justice because of where they are hiding.
Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Johnson Ojogbane, disclosed that much on Tuesday, June 13 in Abuja when the matter came up.
The EFCC had charged Adoke and two multinational oil companies to court over allegation of $1.1 billion Malabu Oil scam.
On the last adjourned date, the judge, Justice John Tsoho, had fixed June 13, for arraignment of Adoke and the other co-defendants.
But Ojogbane, told the News Agency of Nigeria, that the matter could not proceed because the EFCC had been unable to get Adoke and other defendants.
“The matter was adjourned until today for arraignment of the defendants, but up till now, we have not been able to secure the attendance of most of the defendants, because they are outside the country.
“The Federal Government is doing everything within its powers to bring them back to Nigeria so that they can face their trial.
“The government will take steps, in collaboration with the international police to locate them and bring them back to Nigeria through extradition, which is a very cumbersome process, but it will be done,” Ojogbane said.
He said the court adjourned the matter until Oct. 26 after the court’s vacation to enable the process of bringing Adoke and others back to Nigeria to be intensified.
The EFCC had in December 2016, charged nine suspects, including Adoke, over the purchase of OPL 245.
Adoke was accused of illegally transferring more than $800 million purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Dan Etete, Malabu Oil.
The Federal Government had also on March 2, filed fresh charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and Agip Nigeria Exploration Limited for alleged complicity in the Malabu $1.1 billion scandal.
Adoke, Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, ENI Spa, Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujatti Stefeno, Burrafati Sebestiano and Malabu Oil and Gas were charged alongside the two multinational oil companies.