Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said he did not send the Chairman of AA Oil, Abubakar Aliyu, or any other person to collect bribe   in the $1.3bn Malabu oil deal.

Jonathan, who stated this in a statement in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, said that the negotiations and transactions for the $1.3bn oil  deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell,  predated his Presidency,  which began on  May 6, 2010.

He stated, “We make bold to point out that the former President never sent any Abubakar Aliyu, as the innuendoes in the false report suggest, to ENI, the IOCs or any indigenous operator to seek favour or collect any gratification on his behalf.”

Jonathan faulted  news reports, which indicated that   he  received kickbacks in the $1.3bn oil block deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell.

He stated, “We wish to make it clear that former President Jonathan was not accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting any money as kickbacks or bribes from ENI by the Italian authorities or any other law enforcement body the world over.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had a few weeks ago filed seven counts bordering on the Malabu scam against nine defendants, including the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

Other accused persons named in the charges, filed by the EFCC, are Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Imperial Union Ltd., Novel Properties & Development Company Ltd., Group Construction Ltd. and Megatech Engineering Ltd.

The Malabu oil scam, which has been under investigation for over four years, relates to the billions of dollars paid by oil giants, Shell and ENI, into a Federal Government account, for OPL 245, considered the richest oil block in Africa.

The money was allegedly diverted by Adoke and paid into private accounts

Punch