By Peter Uzoho
A member of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and former federal lawmaker, Senator Magnus Abe, yesterday debunked his alleged involvement in a so-called $650 million oil contract scam, insisting that it only existed in the imagination of those interested in ripping Nigeria off.
Abe, who insisted that he would continue to defend the country’s interest, was reacting to a report (not by THISDAY) titled: “Petroleum Minister, Cronies Plot Kangaroo NNPC Report to Divert $650 million Oil Contracts to Themselves.”
In a statement he personally signed, Abe noted that the report was designed to create the impression of a major scandal and armtwist the federal government in the recent attempt to revoke some oil blocks from a foreign company, Addax Petroleum.
By curiously questioning the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, in canceling the revocation by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of four oil mining leases belonging to Addax Petroleum Exploration Nigeria Ltd., Senator Magnus Abe goofed and exceeded his brief. Here is why.
Addax: Senator Magnus Abe goofed
Senator Magnus Abe
Wed Apr 28 2021
By curiously questioning the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, in cancelling the revocation by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of four oil mining leases belonging to Addax Petroleum Exploration Nigeria Ltd., Senator Magnus Abe goofed and exceeded his brief. Here is why.
In a position that can only be interpreted as second-guessing the President, Senator Abe insists that “the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) was right to recommend a revocation of the mining leases issued to Addax in the national interest.” Abe expressed this position after President Buhari had cancelled the revocation of the oil leases of Addax.