TheCable

The allegations of N3.8 billion fraud involving Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum, are untrue, according to The Conscience of the Niger (TCN), a socio-political movement.

In a statement on Wednesday, the group described the reports as the “handiwork of power hawks and mischief makers, who were determined to discredit and blemish the oil minister for obvious reasons”.

Kachikwu had been accused of using his younger brother, Dumebi, as front in many deals.

But in his response, Mitai Okeroghene, leader of TCN, said the attempt to discredit Kachikwu was an advanced and well-intended plot by some persons within the corridors of power.

“Such, the allegations remain the figment of the imagination of those behind the attacks against Kachikwu,” he said in a statement.

“A man of Dr Kachikwu’s standing, who did so much to institute transparency in the oil sector and with enviable international pedigree could not succumb to such corruption rascality. Those trying aimlessly to blemish the person and credibility of the minister need a review of strategy.

“One would have expected that people, who believe in the veracity of their accusations, would rather show their faces by taking a direct report to the appropriate agencies with sufficient facts to carry out its investigation.

“Indeed, the whistleblowing policy of the federal government creates an incentive for this, so, why resort to blogs to blackmail the minister? We are not unaware that all these attacks are not unconnected to the purported cabinet reshuffle and until the planned reshuffling is over, these faceless jobbers, whose whole lives revolve around corruption and blackmail, will continue to target Dr Kachikwu for being too drastic in his resolve to salvage the oil industry.

“Some powerful persons in the system and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who are determined to see that Kachikwu is shown the way out, because they are uncomfortable with his cutting-edge reforms in the ministry.”