The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has called on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to immediately remove Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, as alternate president of the organization, citing a wide swathe of undischarged corruption allegations against her.
“Allowing Mrs. Madueke to function in such position will only broaden her circle of perpetual corruption and lack of transparency,” the group said in a letter to the Secretary General of OPEC dated December 20, 2013.
Her appointment for one year, starting this month, followed the election of Libya’s Abdel Bari Ali Al-Arousi as the President of the Conference of OPEC for the same duration.
“In the alternative [to removing her], OPEC should suspend her from office, pending the outcome of an high level international investigation, to be commissioned by the OPEC, to verify allegations contained in this petition,” the petition said.
The group drew attention to the mixed reaction to Alison-Madueke’s election among Nigerians, noting that opportunities for Nigerians to showcase their talent and prowess in international fora are normally greeted with enthusiasm, and that the performance of Nigerians at various levels testifies to their inherent but untapped capacity to deliver with competitive excellence.
“In this particular case of Mrs. Madueke, based on her performance and reputation in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, it is feared that her occupation of higher position of influence might not only be detrimental to Nigeria's image but injurious to overall OPEC operations and reputation,” it said.
CSNAC recalled that since Alison-Madueke’s appointment as a minister in 2007, she has been embroiled in several controversies bordering on integrity, transparency and accountability, including the revelation that she deceived her employers by backdating her year of graduation from Howard University from 1992 to 1987, and also misled the Senate and the nation during her ministerial appointment with the same forgery.
“It was a fraudulent representation, a criminal offence punishable by law. An NNPC official said at the time of her appointment that, ‘What she has done is perjury. It is criminal and punishable by law and such a person is not fit to hold public office.’ Mrs. Madueke has successfully used her closeness to the President and corridors of power to evade prosecution based on this crime.”
The group expressed regret that as much as it is glad that a Nigerian Minister got elected to such an esteemed position in OPEC, it is not comfortable with Alison Madueke as such an occupant.
It cited some six unresolved allegations trailing her discharge of duties since 2007.
CSNAC said these were just “tips of the iceberg in the minister’s breach of trust and violation of operational principles which have been brought to limelight”. The group also stressed they do not include those which have been deeply buried with all evidence concealed or destroyed.
“Therefore, with her abysmal performance in different offices at the national level, Ms. Diezani Alison Madueke is unfit and undeserving of that international position and should not be allowed to pollute the integrity [of] OPEC in her position as the alternate president of OPEC,” the petition concluded.
