Don't Be Surprised At Diezani's Arrest - Oshiomhole

The Edo state Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said he does not see anything surprising in the arrest of Nigeria’s former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The official insisted that under Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency the economy of the country had been “badly mismanaged,” The Punch reports.

He made his position known on Tuesday, October 6, when he spoke with journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock.

Oshiomhole was quoted as saying:

“For me, I don’t think anybody should be surprised (about Alison-Madueke’s trial in the UK) because even the most favourable commentator on the Nigerian condition, the economy, the polity and the society, agrees that our economy was badly mismanaged over the years. I have not seen one commentator that disagrees.

“Even when they talk about rebasing, and so what? Have you rebased the level of poverty? Have you rebased prosperity? Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased homelessness? Have you rebased hunger?

“So, I have not seen anyone that says Nigerian people are doing better. This was never my issue. I was only a spokesman for the National Economic Council.

“But in this country, when you speak out, all the arrows would be fashioned to attack you. But one of the things I learnt in life at the age of 17 when I got into the leadership of labour is that the truth does not require supporters’ club. It can stand on its feet any day. You can hit it. You can kick it. You can bomb it, but you can’t destroy it.

“The truth is that a lot of money was stolen and what you are seeing is just a tip of the iceberg because when you imagine what accrued to Nigeria consistently from $140 (per barrel) averaging $108 over a long period of time and yet your treasury is empty and you were running a budget deficit.

When the newsmen touched upon the ministerial list finally released yesterday, the politician noted:

“I am the happiest person because I have been in government for seven years without being in power. I was in government; I could not call a commissioner of police and talk as a chief security officer.

“I was haunted by all manners of persons. You kill a snake in Edo, they will put the snake on life support in Abuja and they keep harassing us.

“Now, all that venom is dead and buried. For the first time, I am excited and happy not just for personal benefit but for the changes I am beginning to see.

“They have not started scrutinising, just blocking the holes; it’s no longer flowing like before and so the propensity to indulge in those conspicuous habit already curbing themselves.

“People are regaining sanity, human rationality is returning and the idle class that makes money without office or business address, whose only address is an iPad and cell phone with appropriate phone numbers is lamenting and not sure of tomorrow.”

As far as Alison-Madueke’s arrest in London is concerned, many Nigerians still expressed surprise over the development. To be more specific, rather outrage than surprise, alleging that the detention of Goodluck Jonathan’s minister was witch-hinting by the new government.