Federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives have initiated investigation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) for intentionally withholding N2 trillion of public funds generated as oil revenue during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Recall that under Buhari – nearly all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), like the NNPC – behaved as though they were quasi-governments operating on their own, with each head acting like a president who was not accountable to anyone.
For instance, NNPC Chief Executive Mele Kyari refused to answer several audit queries issued by the federal Auditor General, as documented in his reports to the National Assembly (NASS). Buhari, who also took on the portfolio of Petroleum Minister, failed to supervise the ministry and failed to query or call Kyari to order.
The House of Representatives has now directed its Committee on Finance (when constituted) to investigate the alleged non-remittance of the $2 trillion and other alleged scams in the NNPC.
Uduak Odudoh, who raised the allegation in a motion, accused the NNPC of disrespecting and downplaying the collective intelligence of Nigerians.
He noted that Section 162(1) of the Constitution 1999 (as amended) provides for “the Federation Account” in which all revenues collected by federal agencies are paid, except such exempted therein.
