by Godwin Orozo-
Nigerian billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publish the full findings of the Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede panel on petroleum subsidy fraud, declaring that Nigerians deserve to know those who truly plundered the multi-trillion-naira scheme.
Otedola’s demand comes as he prepares a ₦1 billion lawsuit against Umar Sani, former spokesman to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, over what he described as “baseless and mischievous” claims linking him to subsidy fraud.
“Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited only imported diesel, a deregulated product not covered by subsidy claims. We never traded in petrol and therefore could not have benefitted from the Petroleum Subsidy Fund. Any suggestion otherwise is false and ignorant,” Otedola stated.
Far from being a beneficiary, Otedola reminded Nigerians that he was one of the first to blow the whistle on the subsidy racket during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
“If I was complicit, why would I blow the whistle on myself? Those who know the history of the subsidy probe can confirm the truth,” he said.
According to him, after raising concerns directly with President Jonathan and meeting resistance from the Petroleum Ministry, he escalated the matter to Senator Bukola Saraki—an intervention that triggered the legislative probe which later uncovered massive fraud.
He recounted how “corruption fought back” through the House Committee chaired by Farouk Lawan, who later tried to implicate him.
“I cooperated fully with the DSS in a sting operation that caught Lawan red-handed. The marked money was handed over under surveillance, and Lawan was later convicted. Twisting this fact to malign me only exposes ignorance,” the businessman explained.
Responding to suggestions that his name was tied to AMCON debts, Otedola clarified that the issue was long resolved in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis.
“I forfeited assets worth hundreds of billions of naira to settle obligations. AMCON itself commended my approach as a model for debt resolution,” he stressed.
Otedola urged President Tinubu to break the silence by publishing the Aig-Imoukhuede report.
“Nigerians deserve the truth. Let the real subsidy thieves be unmasked. I have nothing to hide, and I will not sit by while falsehood is written into history,” he declared.
