N10bn Jet Probe: Diezani, NNPC, PPMC Defy Reps

L-R: President Ibrahim Keita of Mali, President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairperson, African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Zuma, at Dakar Financing Summit for Africa’s infrastructure development in Dakar, Senegal last Sunday.

The Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Deizani Allison-Madueke, and the managements of both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), have officially written to the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) indicating that they would not honour the invitations extended to them to appear before it on June 26.
The minister and the agencies in separate letters addressed to PAC Chairman, Hon Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos), stated that they declined to turn up because the matter was already pending before different courts of competent jurisdiction, adding that as such, it would be prejudicial for them to appear before the committee.
Both NNPC and PPMC were being accused of bank rolling the cost of the charter of two private jets, one of which deals allegedly gulped N10billion spent on its charter and maintenance.On her part, Mrs Allison-Madueke, is being sought for probe because she was said to have used the chartered jets for her own convenience rather than for official purposes for which they were made available.