12th August, 2024
A Pressure Group in the South East, Ohaneze Think Tank, has called on the House of Representatives to investigate the activities of the disbanded Ugochinyere- led ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee, investigating the NNPCL under Engr Mele Kyari.
The House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas disbanded his ad-hoc committee two weeks after it was inaugurated. Last Monday, the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, said a new ad-hoc committee would be constituted.
Rotimi went further: “The Leadership of the House of Representatives has resolved to dissolve the current ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee. Initially tasked with investigating the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the non-availability of crude oil for domestic refineries, and other critical energy security issues, this committee will be succeeded by a newly constituted ad-hoc committee with the same mandate.
To ensure the efficacy and independence of this investigation, the new committee will consist of honourable members selected for their expertise, competence, and integrity. The House remains committed to addressing these vital issues and ensuring thorough oversight. Further details on the new committee’s operations will be provided in due course.”
The Think Tank Group argued that the 15-man committee must be investigated forthwith, adding that Ugochinyere and his cohorts were poised to impose their agenda on the House and the Nigerian public.
According to a statement signed by Dr Azubuike Ajuluchukwu and Dr Cletus Akinyili, Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator, in Enugu, the Group asked the lower chamber of the National Assembly to mandate the disbanded Committee to account for its conduct, which interestingly came to light only after visiting the Dangote Refinery.
It similarly accused the committee of a premeditated stance to drag the reputation of the Mele Kyari-led NNPCL to needless mud and altercations, maintaining that the committee’s activities were “a sham and mere distraction.”
The statement titled ‘Plea for Removal of Ugochinyere as Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Midstream), read: “It’s heartening that after a public outcry, the House of Representatives finally dissolved the so-called ad-hoc committee that was supposed to investigate the allegations against the Group CEO of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, by the so-called group of 15 members of the House.
“But the matter should not end there. That committee of 15-man led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere must also be investigated as a deterrent.
“Ugochinyere has grossly abused his position as chairman of the Ad-hoc House Committee on Petroleum Products for reasons best known to him but which are hardly consistent with the public interest.
“Rather than facing the crucial task, the Ugochinyere-led committee jumped to a spiteful conclusion that Kyari and the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPR, Farouk Ahmed, should be sacrificed even before scratching the surface of a thorough investigation.”
“It’s a shame that a man who claims to be a lawyer did not think about a fair hearing.
Hiding under the cloak of the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Rep. Philip Agbese, Ugochinyere ignited a media agenda against the NNPCL management, feeding his colleagues in the House, especially the leadership and the general public with falsehood and a deliberate attempt to destroy Kyari’s reputation by criticising him unfairly and dishonestly to please those whose bidding he was willing to do at all cost.
“But for the swift intervention of about 120 members of the House under the aegis of “1 Agenda”, Ugochinyere and his cohorts were poised to impose their agenda on the House and the Nigerian public.
“The only way he and people like him can learn a lesson is for them to be investigated. What is their interest in the Dangote Refinery?
We align ourselves with the views of “1 Agenda” that the calls for Kyari’s removal are baseless, unfair and hypocritical.
“He deserves commendation for his leadership and transformation of NNPC Ltd, increasing crude oil production from 800,000 bpd to 1.6 million bpd.
“We have every reason to suspect that the calls for Kyari’s removal are targeted at the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the petroleum minister.
“We, therefore, call on the House not to stop at dissolution of the ad-hoc committee set up to implement the agenda of Ugochinyere and his ilk but also to investigate Ugochinyere’s interest in the Dangote Refinery further.
The Think tank added that only God know what happened when Ugochinyere and members of his ad-hoc committee visited Dangote Refinery and they started imposing their agenda on the entire House.
