NNPCL, Dangote rift probe: Bribery allegations unsettle Reps

On Monday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, sacked a almighty advertisement hoc committee probing NNPC Limited aft weeks of infighting among members.

In the past mates of weeks, the House had been divided betwixt lawmakers supporting the Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, and the anti-Kyari team, forcing the enactment to instrumentality action.

The associated committee, co-chaired by Ikenga Ugochinyere and Henry Okojie, had go almighty owed to the tasks it was fixed by the House.

Worst still, the committee became tainted with allegations bothering connected inducement anterior to the inauguration of the House’s lasting committees.

Until its unceremonious disbandment, the Committee was investigating the alleged importation of adulterated petroleum products, the acquisition of Oando’s assets by NNPC Retail, the quality betwixt Dangote Refinery and NNPC Limited, and different issues.

However, the work of probing NNPC Limited became the Waterloo of the Committee, with galore lawmakers backing Mele Kyari.

“The Dangote vs NNPCL probe gave the committee truthful overmuch power,” a lawmaker, who did not privation to talk connected the record, told DAILY POST.

How it each started

In April, the House resolved to analyse substance scarcity successful the state and invited the Minister of Petroleum Resources to little the House connected the reasons for the substance scarcity.

However, the time aft the resolution, earlier the curate could beryllium summoned, Ugochinyere and Okojie briefed journalists that their archetypal findings revealed that “petroleum products are available” and that the regulators and NNPC Limited had assured them that the scarcity was temporary.

Two months later, the scarcity resurfaced successful July. Consequently, the House, pursuing different motion, resolved to behaviour a “forensic” probe into the downstream assemblage pursuing the substance scarcity successful Abuja, Lagos, and different parts of the country.

Messrs Ugochinyere and Okojie’s committee was asked to behaviour a legislative forensic probe into the allegation of the importation of substandard products and high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, the merchantability of petroleum products beneath just marketplace value, and the interaction connected downstream and section refineries.

Earlier successful February, Ugochinyere’s Committee was fixed the task of probing the acquisition of the OVH assets by NNPC Retail.

It would beryllium recalled that a antithetic committee had earlier conducted the probe and submitted a study to the House. However, a radical of young lawmakers, led by Philip Agbese, launched an onslaught connected the study during its information by the House. The referral was aboriginal fixed to Mr Ugochinyere’s committee.

Despite the bulk of the referrals having a timeline of 4 weeks, DAILY POST learnt that the committee did not enactment connected those 2 referrals.

Weeks ago, the Committee got different almighty referral erstwhile tasked to analyse the quality betwixt the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Dangote Group implicit the cognition of the multi-billion-naira refinery successful Lagos.

It would beryllium recalled that NNPC Limited and NMDPRA had been successful a conflict with Dangote Refinery implicit the power of the petroleum downstream sector. The Chief of NMDPRA, Farouq Ahmed, had successful 1 of his property briefings alleged that Dangote Refinery had inferior products, portion Aliko Dangote besides accused elder authorities officials of owning petroleum blending plants successful Malta, a tiny European country.

Amid the crisis, the House waded into the saga and resolved to analyse the allegations.

The Speaker had earlier announced the mounting up of an advertisement hoc committee to probe the matter, but it was aboriginal fixed to Ugochinyere and Okojie’s committee to probe.

It would beryllium recalled that the enactment of the House, led by Speaker Abbas, had visited the refinery successful Lagos and promised the billionaire, Dangote, their intervention.

Days aft the referral, immoderate lawmakers adjacent to Mr Ugochinyere launched a run for the sack of the GMD of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari. Philip Agbese, the lawman spokesperson of the House, led the effort for the removal of Kyari.

“The House of Representatives volition not hesitate to telephone for the dismissal of Mele Kyari if the effort to destruct the refinery project, a nationalist asset, does not halt immediately,” Mr Agbese had said.

A root told DAILY POST that the remark by Agbese gave the content that the lawman spokesperson was carrying retired orders from the enactment who had earlier promised to assistance Dangote.

Following the comments, different radical loyal to Mr Kyari launched monolithic enactment for the NNPC boss. The group, led by Billy Osawaru, condemned the telephone for the sack of Kyari.

The condemnation was said to person stemmed from the information that the committee was acceptable to beryllium connected the substance and couldn’t person taken immoderate determination either way.

DAILY POST findings revealed that for days, the 2 camps were lobbying members to articulation their respective sides.

“The 2 camps wanted to person arsenic galore lawmakers connected their sides arsenic possible. Meetings, telephone calls, and lobbying of caucus leaders to power members became the bid of the day,” a root successful the House told DAILY POST.

On Saturday, advertorials were besides launched successful large nationalist dailies; however, galore aboriginal distanced themselves from the advert, stating that they were not consulted.

Aside from the advertorial, determination were besides accusations and counterclaims by some sides.

Mr Ugochinyere was accused of boasting to person paid $1.7 cardinal to get the Committee; helium was besides accused of threatening to stone the vessel successful the House should helium beryllium relieved of the Committee.

However, helium denied the allegations, describing it arsenic an effort to “divert attraction from endemic corruption successful the lipid and state industry”.

Ugochinyere said, “The allegation is simply a belated nonsensical, childish, and unprofessional fabrication enactment aimed astatine creating part successful the House to assistance immoderate transgression elements that are agelong overdue for the situation to deliberation they tin flight justness which is intolerable arsenic the request for transparency and betterment is simply a task that volition beryllium pushed.

“Only a childish caput volition judge the poorly scripted enactment that Speaker was fixed 1.7m dollars for thing that is not worthy a penny. We volition not dignify the inexpensive effort to distract and divert attraction from the House probe connected the corruption from our Oil industry.”

But galore adjacent to the committee informed this insubstantial that immoderate lawmakers successful the advertisement hoc committee disagreed with however Mr Ugochinyere controlled the full committee and made decisions unilaterally.

His alleged power of the committee was besides fixed arsenic crushed for the reported resignation of Okojie and different members a fewer hours to its dissolution.

DAILY POST reported that successful a missive Okojie co-signed by the Deputy president of the House Committee connected Petroleum Resources, Midstream, Hon. Engr. Sagir Ibrahim Koki, addressed to the Speaker, they dissociated “from each allegations and antagonistic allegations concerning the ongoing probe connected the supra taxable substance by the Joint House Committees connected Petroleum Resources (Midstream) and (Downstream) acceptable up by the House of Representatives.”

The 2 lawmakers, however, stated connected behalf of their committee that,” we are ever acceptable to transportation retired immoderate assigned work to america without making immoderate compromise to the detriment of the House of Representatives, the Rules and so the Constitution which we person each sworn to uphold.”

Meanwhile, the aforesaid root successful the House told DAILY POST that, “You cognize that Ugochinyere has go precise almighty successful the House. During the predetermination of the Speaker, helium acceptable up a run bureau by renting an full suite astatine the Wells Carlton Hotel successful Asokoro for Abbas/Kalu, and that was wherefore helium got that almighty committee contempt being a first-timer successful the House.”

Also, Mr Ugochinyere’s illustration has risen importantly successful the House with the combat against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. Ugochinyere was capable to mobilise lawmakers successful enactment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is successful a combat with Wike.

Abbas’ involution substance speculation of rift with Kalu

Following the monolithic part that rocked the House, Speaker Abbas called for an exigency league connected Sunday to forestall further harm successful the House. The enactment resolved to bounds the fig of lawmakers speaking to the property and ordered the dissolution of “unauthorised groups successful the House”.

DAILY POST obtained the details of the meeting. In the minutes of the meeting, the House resolved that lone authorised members should talk to the press.

“Unauthorised media engagements by Members are considered unparliamentary and unethical. Speaking connected behalf of the House is reserved exclusively for the House Spokesperson, Deputy, and Leadership. Recognised caucuses whitethorn lone code matters related to their circumstantial geo-political zones,” it said.

In a astonishment move, the Committee was dissolved by the House. This happened immoderate hours aft the Deputy Speaker delivered an opening remark astatine the inaugural sitting of the committee, fuelling speculation of a rift betwixt Abbas and his deputy.

Mr Ugochinyere is seen by galore successful the House arsenic a adjacent state of the Deputy Speaker.

So far, the House seems to person deed a interruption connected tearing apart, but tensions are inactive precocious pending the announcement of different advertisement hoc committee to regenerate the disbanded one.

Meanwhile, the House enactment is besides rattled implicit the bribery-for-committee allegations.

In a connection issued by House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jnr connected Wednesday, helium said that the caller dissolution of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee adhered to the 1999 Constitution and the House’s lasting rules.

“At nary constituent did the House enactment oregon immoderate idiosyncratic person inducements for committee appointments.

“The Selection Committee, which included members from each states of the federation, diligently executed these appointments betwixt June and July 2023.”

One of the Nigerians dissatisfied with the happenings successful the House amid the ongoing probe is Dr. Reuben Abati, a seasoned writer and erstwhile Senior Adviser connected Media and Publicity to erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan.

This is arsenic helium dismissed the telephone by immoderate members of the House for Kyari’s sack.

Abati, the pb anchor successful the fashionable Arise TV meal speech show, Morning Show, described the telephone arsenic “unfair, wrong, and unreasonable, noting that it was incorrect for the legislators to ascribe the occupation of the Nigerian Oil & Gas manufacture to conscionable 1 man.

“The occupation with the lipid and state manufacture successful Nigeria is not Mele Kyari. The occupation is the mode we person tally our affairs arsenic a country. Leadership is what is required to code these issues, not crucifying an individual.

“I deliberation the bigger communicative is that we person seen immoderate radical successful the media saying Kyari is the occupation with the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry.

“We person seen radical enactment up an advertisement for and against the sack of Mele Kyari. No, Mele Kyari is not the problem.

“There are cardinal issues with the Oil and Gas manufacture successful Nigeria, which has been determination since the 70s and nary authorities has been capable to code it.

“So, it is not astir crucifying an individual. What Kyari, successful my ain understanding, is trying to bash is to marque an effort to lick the problem. But to presume that 1 antheral is the origin of the occupation volition beryllium a precise unfair, incorrect and unreasonable mode to go.

“So, the members of the National Assembly who are saying they privation to instrumentality Kyari’s head, no, they person their ain heads successful the incorrect place. He is not the origin of the problem.”

NNPCL, Dangote rift probe: Bribery allegations unsettle Reps