Malabu Oil Deal: Reps Want Jonathan to Testify

The house of representatives ad hoc committee probing the award of oil prospecting licence (OPL) 245 to Malabu Oil and Gas, today, invited ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to testify in the ongoing investigations.

The committee said, in a statement, it had conducted an extensive investigation into the OPL 245 saga and would soon announce its findings.

It, however, said it deemed it necessary to hear from Jonathan in the interest of “thoroughness, natural justice and fair play”.

According to the committee, it took account of certain facts before arriving at the decision to invite the former president.

The committee said its consideration was based on the fact that: “Jonathan was the President at the material time the Ministers brokered the deal that led to the allegation of diversion of $1bn.
“Jonathan’s name featured in the proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor in Milan, Italy.

“A U.K. court judgment in relation to an application to return part of the money, castigated the Jonathan administration for not acting in the best interest of Nigeria in relation to the ‘deal’.

“The Attorney-General of the Federation at the material time, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has recently instituted proceedings in court, wherein he pleaded that all his actions were as instructed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.”

The statement further said: “Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, the Committee has decided to request that former President Goodluck Jonathan should give evidence as to his role in the matter.”

The committee added that its secretariat will write to ask Jonathan for his response and submissions.