Rear Admiral Alison-Madueke, has reacted to the alleged corruption charges levelled against his wife, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke
Alison-Madueke said he initially did not want his wife to take public office having only become the first female director of Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria.
Explaining further, he said he permitted his wife to accept the ministerial appointment on an advisory note that will not focus on money but maintain the good name of the family.
He said: “When finally she was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources, I took further time to advise her on the topic of self-protection and self-preservation in the bureaucracy.
“I finally recited the advice my father had given me upon my appointment as military governor. “Go do your best, don’t bring back money, but bring back my name.”
The retired naval officer also disclosed that his wife was diagnosed with cancer towards the end of Jonathan’s administration in 2015.
READ ALSO: Fatal Accident: 5 Die, 9 Injured at Lagos- Ibadan Express Way
He said: “On Sunday, July 26, 2015, I stepped into my bedroom soon after our brunch to find that my phone was ringing. It was my mother-in-law, Mrs Beatrice Agama, who was staying with Diezani while she was undertaking treatment. She was sobbing and only managed to inform me that my wife was no longer talking.
“I was in London by 5.30 am the following day, Monday, and went straight to see her. Diezani was in a coma. I called an ambulance that arrived 20 minutes later, the attendants bearing a stretcher. They had to get a wheelchair since the lift could not take the stretcher.
“In less than 10 minutes, we were at the emergency intensive care unit of the Harley Street Clinic. Her doctor, Prof. Paul Ellis, a top oncologist, was out of town and had to be recalled.
“Three days later, when Diezani finally came out of the coma, she saw me by her bedside and asked what I was doing in London. She had reacted badly to her Friday chemotherapy treatment. Thank God she pulled through that nightmarish incident and is now fully recovered.”
