My Malabu oil deal story – Ex-AGF writes Osinbajo

Reposted from Today.ng

The immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), has written to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over the Malabu oil deal, saying the deal was transparent and was done according to the law.

The former AGF, however, accused former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and the Abacha family for his ordeal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), few months after his exit from office.

In a letter to the vice-president, Adoke said he had already informed the incumbent AGF, Malam Abubakar Malami (SAN) after he was served with a letter from the EFCC inviting him to its office for an interview on the Malabu Oil Transaction with Shell/ENI that the resolution of the Malabo oil deal was done transparently.

According to him, he was unable to immediately honour EFCC invitation as he was “in his end of semester examinations at the University of Leiden, in the Netherlands”.

“However, on deep reflection, I found the invitation rather curious, unconventional and mischievous, especially as I acted purely in an official capacity and the EFCC could easily have had recourse to the sitting AGF for clarifications since the records were in the Federal Ministry of Justice as government is a continuum.

“I, therefore, phoned the AGF and notified him of the development and offered a detail explanation of what had transpired. I also impressed on him the need to protect the office from unwarranted attacks and machinations of those out to destroy it in view of its unique constitutional role in governance.

“That Malabu also sued the FGN and SNUD at the FHC in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/420/2003 claiming several declaratory reliefs including an order setting aside the re-allocation to SNUD and a restoration of the block to Malabu. The suit was struck out but on appeal, the parties entered into a settlement dated 30th November 2006 which were executed by my predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN)”

Meanwhile, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, has denied having any hand in the oil deal.

A statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe said the “former Vice President does not have a hand in the travails of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

“The Turaki Adamawa advises the erstwhile Attorney General and others so invited to focus on clearing their names instead of dragging innocent people into the fray”, the statement added.