“Sahara Reporters Lied”: Diezani is in London for Son’s Graduation

Contrary to reports on Friday by online newspaper, Sahara Reporters that Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday booked herself on a British Airways flight to London with Nigeria’s President-Elect, Muhammad Buhari in an attempt to travel with the President-Elect, a close family source to Mrs. Madueke has disclaimed the report as utter rubbish and a poor attempt at gossip journalism.

Speaking on Friday to BREAKING TIMES, the source who spoke anonymously, exclaimed in surprise:

 “Nobody can fly again because Buhari is on the same flight? Her (Diezani) son is coming out of school today and she had to travel to attend the ceremony. Her husband, Admiral Alison Madueke is also in London for the graduation. He traveled last night. So
what are they saying?”

According to Sahara Reporters, Diezani had been billed to travel to the UK next week Tuesday but upon learning that Buhari was traveling to London, she asked the airline to book her on the same flight as Buhari so that she could have a chance to discuss directly with the President-Elect.

PUNCH also added that there was a mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on Friday, when the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, ran to catch up with the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

That both Buhari and the minister on Friday morning travelled out of the country to London on the same flight. They both boarded a British Airways flight that left the airport at about 4.30am on its way to Heathrow Airport, London.

But while Buhari was going to board his flight, a mild drama took place at the airport. Sources, who witnessed the drama, said that the minister raced in a bid to catch up with Buhari, who had undergone airport screening before her.

It was learnt that the President-elect, who reportedly arrived the airport before the minister, was cleared first and he went straight into the aircraft. When Diezani arrived the airport and got news that Buhari had already boarded the flight, she hurriedly ran to ensure that she entered the plane.

In fact, sources at the airport stated that the petroleum minister left behind her aides while running to catch up with Buhari. A source on the ground, who witnessed the drama, said,

 “The man (Buhari) was at the front and had already passed the screening team. And immediately the woman (Diezani) came down, it was as if they told her that the President-elect was already inside the aircraft, so she started running. She even left her people behind so that she could board the flight along with the President-elect. 

This happened between 4am and 5am this (Friday) morning and the airline involved was British Airways. The flight was on its way from Abuja international airport to Heathrow Airport, London.”

The flight was reported to have arrived at Heathrow in London at 2:15pm, but the passengers disembarked at 2:45pm.

The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, refused to comment on the issues when contacted. Calls to the mobile phone of its spokesperson, Mr. Kingsley Agha, were ignored while a text message to him was not replied. He was asked to explain why the minister travelled and her action at the airport.