Renewed calls for my probe malicious –Ogah

Romanus Okoye

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Dr. Uche Ogah, has said that the renewed calls for his probe over a business transaction, which had been investigated and he was cleared years ago by law enforcement agencies, is an act of political malice.

A group of lawyers under the umbrella of Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates had issued a statement published on some online platforms calling for Ogah’s probe over the transaction he had with one Mrs Bridget Adeosun while running his private business before he joined politics.

Reacting to the publication, counsel to Ogah, Monday Ubani, said the renewed attempt to cast aspersion on his client’s personality over a matter, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the police and the court had cleared him, is clearly the handiwork of blackmailers.

In a statement, Ubani said: “We consider this act of defamation as pure blackmail which ordinarily should not have deserved the attention of our client but for  the informed  members of the public who may not be apprised of the facts of this case, we have set out patiently to put the records straight.

“We are not ignorant that these blackmailers are mere ‘dancers’ whose drummers are in the thick bush and certainly they shall be unveiled very soon.

“Our client is not ignorant of those behind this constant and fruitless mudslinging, and as usual, he promises them fatal failure.”

Stating the facts of the matter, Ubani said:  “Sometime ago, before our client ever  thought of entering politics, one  Mrs Bridget Adeosun, a Director of Mut-Hass Petroleum Ltd, was introduced to Masters Energy Oil & Gas Ltd, our client’s company as a struggling lady who has interest in Oil and Gas Sector but does not possess the necessary capacities and facilities to consummate a business transaction her company had  with Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) that gives permit to import fuel into the country.

“On February 2, 2011, the said Mrs Bridget Adeosun requested Masters Energy Ltd through a letter from her company that our client’s company should execute an agreement known as ThroughPut Agreement through which Masters Energy Ltd will confirm that they will be ready to offer a space in their depot to store Mrs Adeosun’s petroleum products if her company is given allocation to import the product.

“Masters Energy Ltd replied to her letter by acceding to her request that they shall offer the storage facility to the intended product whenever the permit is granted to her by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.”