Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu is the face behind the N2.7bn oil subsidy fraud allegedly perpetrated by Pinnacle Contractors and should, therefore, be sacked both as Chairman of the White Paper Committee on Nuhu Ribadu’s Petroleum Revenue Task Force Committee, whistleblowing group, Anti-Corruption Network has said.
Mr. Emeka Wogu, in a swift response, said, he used to own the company,but had resigned and sold Pinnacle Contractors to Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited five months before it went into the subsidy business. Wogu, described his alleged involvement in the N2.7bn subsidy scam as malicious and insisted that Pinnacle Contractors was not indicted.
Hear him:
“The Pinnacle Contractors Ltd was sold to Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd in March 2010 for an agreed sum of which payments have been effected in accordance to the sales agreement. My resignation from the board and the sale of Pinnacle Contractors were duly registered by the CAC on 7th April 2010 after my formal resignation on 9th March 2010,” he said.
“After the said sales and business takeover of Pinnacle Contractors Ltd by Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd, the new owners took over the affairs of the said company completely and ran the enterprise without any recourse whatsoever to the Honourable Minister. All documents relating to the sale and transfer of Pinnacle Contractors Ltd to Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd are public documents and are available to all Nigerians to see with the CAC.”
Similarly, the new owners of Pinnacle Contractors exonerated both the company and the minister, saying the minister has no stake in the company, that he is not a signatory to its account, and that the company itself was never indicted in the subsidy scam.
“The Honourable Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has no stake in Pinnacle Contractors.
For the avoidance of doubt, let us restate here that he has no hand in the company and he is NOT a signatory to Pinnacle Contractors account,” a part of statement issued by Masters Oil and Gas read.
“Pinnacle Contractors is a legitimate company, which pays its taxes; it pays VAT and also has its own bank account. You cannot have all these in place if your company is not registered. You cannot have a tax number if you are not a registered company; you cannot have a VAT number if you are not a registered company.”
It further claimed that the petroleum products for which the subsidy claim was made was actually imported into the country and sold in the country as evident in the bill of lading, certificate of clearance and reports of the various regulatory agencies.
Despite Wogu denials, the anti-corruption group has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the minister should he fail to resign for corruption and for defrauding the government and people of Nigeria.
“In the recent media chat, President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to fight the unprecedented rot in the petroleum industry.
The president also undertook to implement all the various committees that probed oil industry, once the white paper on them are issued by the Federal government,” the group recalled in a statement signed by its executive secretary, Otunba Dino Melaye.
“It is shameful and disgraceful that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu heading the White Paper Committee on the Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force has now been indicted in the illegal payment of N2.7 bn to a company for fuel that was never supplied, He cannot be a judge in his own case.”
The group quoted the company’s details to include: RC. 419968, annual returns.2003–2009, shares 1.000.000 of 1.00k, registration address Plot 1227 Oka Akoko Close, Garki Area 11, Abuja, first directors 1. Barr. (Chief) EmekaWogu ____750,000 with address as Retreat Suite 20 Umuoele Aba, Abia State, and Mrs. Oyababefe Wogu _____ 150,000 with the same address as 1, 3. Mr. Enyinnaya Wogu______100,000 also with same address as 1.
Other listed details are:
Second Directors by resolution dated 7th April, 2010.
1.Mrs Oyababefe Wogu re-appointed.
Same address as above
2.Wogu Enyinnaya re-appointed Same address as 1
Removed Barr. (Chief) Emeka Wogu.
Same address as 1
3rd Directors by resolution dated 20th July, 2012, which removed 1st two Directors above.
Mrs Oyababefe Wogu.
New Directors after 20th July, 2012.
1. Obi Uju ____ 250, 000
Plot 16, Jebba close, Area 2,Garki Abuja
2. Eribo Felix 250,000
Plot 20 Durban Street, wuse 2 Abuja
3. Sotunde Femi ____ 250,000
16 Wharf road Apapa, Lagos
4. Onu Ogbonnaya ____ 250,000
Plot 721, Herbet Macauly way, zone 4, wuse Abuja.
Secretary by resolution dated 20th july 2012 –Nwakanma Chimobi, Abuja.
Note: the resolution that purportedly removed the two directors dated 20th July, 2012 was not signed by the old directors. This whole thing must have been done by a quack or Amateur. It was forged.
Objects of the company: general contractors, construction, farming, oil and gas, transport, travel agency.
Note: the form Co7 of 7th April 2012- the signature of Emeka Wogu is conspicuously missing because they couldn’t copy it.
Note: All the resolutions signatures were copied (FORGED) because they differ from the original on the memo and article.
Anti-Corruption Network then wondered how to perceive the man “who went everywhere in January to inflict pains and torture on Nigerians during the fuel subsidy protest in January” and who also said during the fuel subsidy protest in January that “we don’t have to explain to the people we rule.” It added that his wife and son were directors in the said company until July 2012.
It then demanded the removal of the minister as Chairman of the White Paper Committee on Nuhu Ribadu’s task force committee, and his sack as a minister or his immediate resignation.
“We, as a whistleblowing organization will continue to do our best in exposing corruption anywhere we find it. It is the bane of our development as a nation,” the statement added. “We call on Nigerians to join us in fighting this monster that has destroyed the very foundation and legacies of our great founding fathers. Mr. President is advised not to dare the resolve of hungry men and women.”
