Malabu Oil: NASS And Media’s Irresponsible Feasting On $200m Bribery Allegation Against Jonathan

“I heard from Chief (Etete), he claims that he had to pay 400 million, so, if this is true, if he paid 400 million, then most probably the President, as the biggest boss, took at least the half of it,” - Ednan Agaev, a Russian middleman who helped negotiate the transfer of the oil block to Shell and Eni.
 “I said that if it’s true, that he paid, he had to pay 400 million, I assume that at least 200 went to Goodluck (Jonathan).”-Ednan Agaev
The above quotes are from Ednan Agaev, a Russian middleman who helped negotiate the transfer of the controversial Malabu oil block to Shell and Eni. It is on the strength of the above statements that apparently the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) planted the fake news that former President Goodluck Jonathan was allegedly paid $200m bribe money by the former minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete in respect to the Malabu oil deal.
It was on the strength of the above quotes that the National Assembly, specifically the House of Representatives say it would summon former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Recall that the House of Representatives committee investigating an alleged corruption, malpractices a‎nd breach of due process in the award of OPL 245 to Malabu Oil this week confirmed that it would invite former President Goodluck Jonathan for questioning.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Razak Atunwa in a statement said that ‘facts’ emanating from the committee’s investigation puts the former President on the Spotlight.

“Facts have firmly placed former President Goodluck Jonathan on the Committee’s radar,” he said.

According the statement, the former President would only be invited to assist the committee further in its inquiry.

“The Committee believes that former President Goodluck Jonathan may well be in a position to assist it with its inquiries. Accordingly, the Committee is considering inviting him to give evidence before it. An announcement will be made once a formal firm decision is taken on the matter,” Atunwa said.

If you are looking for evidence on how irresponsible the National Assembly and sections of the media have become in the so-called war against corruption, look no further than this.

Let me take the media first. A suspect told Italian prosecutors that another suspect (Dan Etete) told him that he had to pay 400m dollars to the facilitators of the deal and added, “IF THIS IS TRUE, IF HE PAID $400M, THEN MOST PROBABLY…” Jonathan would have received half of it, because he is the biggest boss. Firstly the Russian was not sure that Etete paid any bribe money to anyone. That was why he told the prosecutors if (big if for that matter) Etete actually paid out such bribe money, Jonathan would get the lion share. In subsequent interrogation by the prosecutors, Ednan Agaev, still insisted on basing his position on “if it’s true” that Etete truly paid bribe of $400m, that he “assume that at least 200 went to Goodluck (Jonathan) ”. Given the facts of this case how can a responsible news media carry this headline, “Jonathan Paid $200m For Malabu Oil Deal.” This type of irresponsible journalism, journalism anchored on mischief and blackmail is probably the reason President Muhammadu Buhari is hard pressed to speak to Nigerian media and prefers talking to foreign media on key national issues which has earned for him condemnation from the same hugely compromised sections of Nigerian media.

That the National Assembly would despite the unreliability of the Russian testimony spend precious time to set up a committee that would invite Jonathan, apparently to ask him, whether he received $200m from Etete showed that perhaps the country is wasting money having this bunch of people making laws for Nigerians. One would have expected the House of Representatives to summon Dan Etete to find out if actually he earmarked $400m to bribe Nigerian officials and who got what in the process. Dan Etete is somewhere on planet earth that the long arm of the law can reach no matter how long. A responsible lawmaking body would have waited till Etete have his day in court in Italy, but this Assembly is dancing kerewa because Jonathan’s name was mentioned and they want to show that they are also fighting corruption. A National Assembly that is oozing with sulphurous odour of corruption from top to bottom ‘fighting corruption!’ What an irony.

Let me conclude with this comforting quote from former President Goodluck Jonathan’s media aide: “Again, let us point out for clarity and for the umpteenth time that while he was in office and now that he is out of office, former President Jonathan did not open and does not own any bank account, aircraft or real estate outside Nigeria. Anyone with contrary information is challenged to publicly publish same.”- Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze.