Former attorney general of
the Federation and minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) insisted, at
the weekend, that the controversial Malabu oil Block Agreement was endorsed by
the previous administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
In a formal letter to his
successor and the current Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Adoke
narrated how Terms of Settlement on the controversial oil block were brokered
and executed by Obasanjo’s administration before its implementation by
Jonathan’s administration.
Adoke also urged Malami to
investigate the matter thoroughly and if found wanting, should not hesitate to
prosecute him.
“I believe it is your responsibility
to explain to the public who are being sold a fiction that the transaction
started from president Olusegun Obasanjo, under whose administration the Terms
of Settlement were brokered with Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), as the then attorney
general, who executed the Terms of Settlement before the tenure of president
Jonathan, who approved the final implementation of the Terms of Settlement and
my humble self who executed the resolution agreements. This is more so as the
Settlement and its implementation were situated in the Federal Ministry of
Justice.
“Honourable attorney general
of the Federation, your response is crucial because it has become glaring that
the actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in respect
of the transaction are not in the national interest; but rather in furtherance
of a plot to serve the interests of some powerful families and individuals who
are aggrieved by my refusal to accede to their requests to compel Malabu to pay
them certain sums from the proceeds of its divestment in OPL 245, and the
subsequent re-allocation of the Block to Shell/ENI. You will recall that I had,
on several occasions, asserted this fact. I am, therefore, surprised that a
national institution is being used to further the interest of individuals whose
claim or shareholding, in Malabu, remains shady and prefer to engage proxies to
fight their battles.”
On the recent filed charges
by anti-corruption agency against him and others, Adoke stated that
“recent
actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to impugn the
settlement which was done in the national interest particularly their penchant
to suppress facts relating to the transaction and the filing of criminal
charges against me for conspiracy/ aiding the commission of Money Laundering
offence and the latest allegations of bribe taking reveal very clearly that
either your Office and that of the EFCC are not working in harmony or that
something sinister is going on.
“Having given you the
benefit of the doubt that you would not sponsor deliberate falsehood against
me, my suspicion is that there is an orchestrated plot by the EFCC to:
deliberately impugn a transaction that has been scrutinized and approved by at
least three past Presidents and three Attorneys General; drag my name in the
mud and paint me with the tar of corruption in order to attract public odium.”
Adoke also advised Malami
that “As the chief law officer of the Federation, you have a public duty to
speak on this matter so that Nigerians would know whether I acted mala fide or
abused my office in the entire transaction leading to the final implementation
of the Settlement. Nigerians need to know whether your predecessors in office
from 2006 to May 2015 acted in the national interest when they brokered and
implemented the Settlement.
“It will also be instructive
for Nigerians to know whether your predecessors were carrying out their
personal agenda or that their respective actions were carried out with the
knowledge and approval of their respective Principals.
“if you find that I had
breached my oath of office or abused my office, please do not hesitate to bring
me to justice. However, if it is the contrary, as I strongly believe, that
certain individuals who had vowed to even scores with me are now being aided by
state institutions such as the EFCC; I deserve protection from these
unwarranted attacks and dehumanising treatment that I am being subjected to
merely because I chose to serve my fatherland.”
Recently, EFCC filed charges
against Adoke and some former officials over the Malabu oil deal.
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