Reps consider calling Buhari over alleged irregularities in the oil sector

The House of Representatives said it will not hesitate to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it as the minister of petroleum and to answer questions on alleged irregularities in the oil sector, if government officials and others concerned continue to turn down the parliament’s invitation.

Chairman House Committee on Petroleum, Upstream, Sarki Adar (APC-Sokoto) said this on Thursday at a public hearing on issues in the oil sector which the group managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari did not attend or reply letters sent to him by the panel.

The Committee also gave the NNPC, Addax Petroleum Company Ltd, and Santex Nig Ltd two weeks ultimatum to appear and explain alleged irregularities in the Corporation.

Adar said: “Our message to all those who have failed to appear before us as invited namely the NNPC, Addax Petroleum Company Ltd, and Santex Nig Ltd.

“We are giving them two weeks from today, we will reschedule this meeting for two weeks calendar days to appear before this committee so that we could continue our business.

“Unless they want us to invite President Buhari to appear before us as the minister of petroleum, if they do not come, we will not hesitate.

“Buhari is a minister, he appointed himself and approved by the parliament and he is doing his job, we will invite him and I know as the law-abiding president, he will come.

“When he comes, Nigeria should know that it is because of the failure of the NNPC to appear that made him appear before us,’’ he said.

According to him, the Committee had asked for relevant documents to investigate the activities of the NNPC and the Corporation had refused to do so.

“We have written three letters to them at an interval of three months each requesting for their budget, budget performance, and list of the assets they are holding and managing on behalf of Nigerians.

“We asked for a list of their liabilities, what are the contracts they are executing, who are the contractors, who are the companies, and what is the progress made.

“We have asked for details of how much they generate from the sales of crude oil production, how much do they manage on behalf of Nigeria through other joint ventures, until today, there is no response. The time has come that we must speak, this country belongs to all of us, we are here as statutory Nigerians,’’ he said.