The House of Representatives has a sharp division driven down its ranks over calls for the removal of NNPCL CEO
All is not well in the House of Representatives as two groups have emerged over calls for the removal of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
A group of representatives known as ‘1 Agenda’ has rejected the call for the removal of the heads of the two key institutions pivotal to the operations of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. In a publication issued on Saturday, the group led by Rep. Ibori-Suenu Erhiatake (PDP Delta), Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, stated that the call for the removal of the two executives were personal opinions and not a collective decision of the House of Representatives.
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“The GCEO is entitled to a fair hearing; this is not only right but a constitutional entitlement. The House has responsibly constituted a committee to investigate the activities of NNPCL,” they stated in the publication, adding that calls for his resignation are unnecessary and premature. They urged the public to disregard these calls and support President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reform the oil and gas sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
The members of the group listed in the statement include: Rep. Ibori-Suenu Erhiatake (PDP Delta), Rep. Martins Esin (PDP Akwa Ibom), Rep. Abdullahi M. Gwarzo (APC Kano), Rep. Danladi S. Aguye (APC Kogi), Rep. Afuape Afolabi Moruf (APC Ogun), Rep. Ime Okon (PDP Akwa Ibom), Rep. Nnamdi Ezechi (PDP Delta) and Rep. Akintunde Rotimi (APC Ekiti) among others.
However, some members whose names appeared in the publication have distanced themselves from it. Members such as Rep. Sesoo Ikpagher (APC Benue) Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport, Rep. Tochukwu Okere (LP Imo), and Rep. Toyin Fayinka ( APC Lagos) expressed their disapproval on Monday.
Ikpagher told OrderPaper that as a member of the downstream committee, he was not in support of the position of ‘1 Agenda’. He said: ” The House already set up a committee to check into the activities of NNPC so when the committee is there doing their work then another group will come up and bring up something so let the committee do their work and bring up their recommendation to the House.”
Rep. Philip Agbese (APC Benue), deputy spokesperson of the House, whose name was also included in the publication had earlier called for the suspension of NNPCL GCEO Kyari.
Other members that have disowned the inclusion of their names in an advertorial placed in some national dailies are Rep. Mukhtar Shagaya (APC Kwara l) and Rep. Sesi Whingan (APC Lagos).
The lawmakers in separate statements on Monday in Abuja, condemned the unauthorised inclusion of their names in the “1 AGENDA” statement.
According to Shagaya, the parliament has a constitutional duty to investigate complaints and concerns before taking any stance.
The question that has arisen over this development is whether the consent of all 120 lawmakers listed in the ‘1 Agenda’ publication was sought and received.
Background of the Controversy
The controversy began when the House of Representatives passed a resolution on July 9, 2024, to carry out a forensic investigation into the resurgence of fuel queues in parts of the country. This resolution followed an urgent motion by Rep. Billy Osawuru (APC Edo). A joint committee of downstream and midstream sectors, led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP Imo), was set up for the investigation.
At the committee’s inauguration, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, speaking on behalf of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, expressed concern over the fuel queues, the increasing cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and the unavailability of crude oil feedstock for domestic refineries. Kalu highlighted the investigation’s scope, which extends to other related issues impacting the sector, stressing the need for compliance with global standards in the quality of petroleum products imported into Nigeria.
