Senate Demands NNPCL Boss Account for N210tr Audit Query
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it and account for N210 trillion flagged as unaccounted for in audit reports covering 2017 to 2023.
At a session held in Abuja on Thursday, the committee, chaired by Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa West), clarified that the amount was not said to be stolen, but that NNPCL must explain how the funds were used.
The committee had earlier directed Ojulari to appear on July 10 along with relevant officers, but he failed to do so, reportedly attending an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna instead.
The committee refused to allow NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr Dapo Segun, to speak on Ojulari’s behalf.
First to kick against allowing NNPCL CFO to make presentation was Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who accused NNPL of taking the committee for granted with persistent absence of its GCEO from critical sessions requiring his presence.
“It is very disturbing and unacceptable for the GCEO of NNPCL to dishonour this committee’s invitation for his appearance again. He has never appeared before this committee since his appointment which is really disturbing.
“Invitation for his appearance before the committee was sent to him before the OPEC meeting which as far as we are concerned, he supposed to use his discretion on where to be today which should be before this committee and by extension, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Another member of the Committee, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), also slammed NNPCL GCEO for his persistent failure to appear before the committee.
“Nobody is bigger than the country and anybody who feels so, has no business in government. NNPCL GCEO should make good use of the window of invitation for appearance being offered him now before the door is shut against him. The committee is not appealing but ordering him to appear before it which in his own interest, must be obeyed,” he said.
The committee resolved that Ojulari must appear on a new date to be communicated.
Senator Wadada noted that the committee does not have anything against anybody in NNPCL but doing its constitutionally mandated duty of making Nigeria work through thorough scrutinisation of how public funds are spent.
“I don’t have anything against anybody in NNPCL just as other members of the committee, but carrying out our constitutional mandate of ensuring probity and accountability on spending of public funds. NNPCL as clearly stated in the audit report of 2017 to 2023, must account for N210trillion financial infraction.
“This committee never said NNPCL stole the money but is requesting it to account for it. The GCEO of NNPCL must appear before this committee to give the account and offer explanations on other queries raised,” he said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
