BEVERLY HILLS, May 07, (THEWILL) – Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, has insisted that there is a plot to pitch him against former President Goodluck Jonathan with a phone tape over the Malabu affair which he described as fake.
Adoke, in a phone tape, is said to have told an Italian journalist that he knew the Malabu oil deal was a presidential scam and that billions were illegally diverted in the controversial sale of OPL 245 to Shell and Eni.
Reacting to the news, Adoke, in a statement said he never granted any phone interview to the journalist, named Carlarmaria Rumor.
“There is an elaborate attempt at dressing up falsehood to pass as truth and substituting reality with fiction in order to misinform undiscerning members of the public, denigrate my person and cause disaffection and ill-will between me and my principal, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who gave me the rare opportunity to serve this great country in the capacity of Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,” he stated.
“I want to place it on record that I did not grant any telephone interview to Carlamaria Rumor or any other person in respect of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement.
“The said Carla Maria is unknown to me, has never spoken to me and I could therefore not have granted her a 1 hour 17 minutes phone interview. I have checked RAI Television website, but the said Carlamaria Rumor is not listed either as a TV or print journalist with RAI.
“This is clearly a case of a phantom RAI journalist that exists only in the figment of the imagination. Furthermore, Micheal Nomah whom the writer claims to have contacted to react to his fake story is also unknown to me and has never represented me on any legal issue.
“I could not have granted a reckless interview on the phone given the circumstances. If indeed if I was given 2.2 million Dollars for the OPL 245 transaction as alleged by the EFCC, why would I be offering to give the money to the imaginary journalist?
“How on earth would any one believe that I could talk so carelessly and recklessly to a journalist that I had never met in person, when indeed, I am fully aware of the clandestine plans to nail me at all cost? It is simply incredulous.
“The tape is meant to downplay the significance of the judgment of the federal high court which declared that I acted within the confines of the Presidential Directives/approvals given to me as a Minister of the Government of the Federation and therefore incurred no personal liability for implementing the OPL 245 Settlement Agreement.”
THEWILL recalls that Adoke, who is currently on self-exile, has been accused of sleaze by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which he denies.
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