Dele Momodu has dismissed reports making the rounds that former Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke has been offered a position by the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica and that she also carries a diplomatic passport issued to her by the Dominican government.
A report shared by The Nation earlier today said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) move to secure the extradition of the former minister to answer to charges of N23.29 billion poll bribery scandal, has suffered a setback following her claim to citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Diezani was alleged to have been issued a diplomatic passport, DP0000445 by the Dominican Government on May 21, 2015, shortly before the handover to President Buhari by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. The citizenship of the former Minister who was subsequently appointed as a Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Dominica was confirmed in a May 29, 2015 approval letter by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Kerry.
According to Momodu, the truth of the matter is that Diezani was offered these privileges but they never came to fruition as they were suspended since October 2015.
The report reads “There is no truth to the rumour of a former Government Minister of Nigeria being offered or encouraged by the Prime Minister or Government of Dominica to make The Commonwealth of Dominica her home. Prime Minister Skerrit explained that in May of this year, during a routine stop-over visit to London, Madueke was introduced to him as the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria and also immediate past President of OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. These discussions, however, took place well before any question of an investigation by the relevant authorities arose. Prime Minister, Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit has made clear that the idea of relocating to Dominica was never discussed, far less agreed, in any discussions with or on behalf of Diezani Alison Madueke, the ex-minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, who is now under investigation by the United Kingdom and Nigerian authorities. Indeed, the Prime Minister said the discussions surrounded her continued residence in the United Kingdom and the ability to travel to Africa in order to assist Dominica”