NNPCL, Dangote rift probe: Bribery allegations unsettle Reps

On Monday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, sacked a powerful ad hoc committee probing NNPC Limited after weeks of infighting among members.
In the past couple of weeks, the House had been divided between lawmakers supporting the Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, and the anti-Kyari team, forcing the leadership to take action.
The joint committee, co-chaired by Ikenga Ugochinyere and Henry Okojie, had become powerful due to the tasks it was given by the House.
Worst still, the committee became tainted with allegations bothering on inducement prior to the inauguration of the House’s standing committees.
Until its unceremonious disbandment, the Committee was investigating the alleged importation of adulterated petroleum products, the acquisition of Oando’s assets by NNPC Retail, the dispute between Dangote Refinery and NNPC Limited, and other issues.
However, the responsibility of probing NNPC Limited became the Waterloo of the Committee, with many lawmakers backing Mele Kyari.
“The Dangote vs NNPCL probe gave the committee so much power,” a lawmaker, who did not want to speak on the record, told TVN.
How it all started
In April, the House resolved to investigate fuel scarcity in the country and invited the Minister of Petroleum Resources to brief the House on the reasons for the fuel scarcity.
However, the day after the resolution, before the minister could be summoned, Ugochinyere and Okojie briefed journalists that their initial findings revealed that “petroleum products are available” and that the regulators and NNPC Limited had assured them that the scarcity was temporary.
Two months later, the scarcity resurfaced in July. Consequently, the House, following another motion, resolved to conduct a “forensic” probe into the downstream sector following the fuel scarcity in Abuja, Lagos, and other parts of the country.
Messrs Ugochinyere and Okojie’s committee was asked to conduct a legislative forensic probe into the allegation of the importation of substandard products and high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, the sale of petroleum products below fair market value, and the impact on downstream and local refineries.
Earlier in February, Ugochinyere’s Committee was given the task of probing the acquisition of the OVH assets by NNPC Retail.
It would be recalled that a different committee had earlier conducted the probe and submitted a report to the House. However, a group of young lawmakers, led by Philip Agbese, launched an attack on the report during its consideration by the House. The referral was later given to Mr Ugochinyere’s committee.
Despite the majority of the referrals having a timeline of four weeks, TVN learnt that the committee did not act on those two referrals.
Weeks ago, the Committee got another powerful referral when tasked to investigate the dispute between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Dangote Group over the operation of the multi-billion-naira refinery in Lagos.
It would be recalled that NNPC Limited and NMDPRA had been in a battle with Dangote Refinery over the control of the petroleum downstream sector. The Chief of NMDPRA, Farouq Ahmed, had in one of his press briefings alleged that Dangote Refinery had inferior products, while Aliko Dangote also accused senior government officials of owning petroleum blending plants in Malta, a small European country.
Amid the crisis, the House waded into the saga and resolved to investigate the allegations.
The Speaker had earlier announced the setting up of an ad hoc committee to probe the matter, but it was later given to Ugochinyere and Okojie’s committee to probe.
It would be recalled that the leadership of the House, led by Speaker Abbas, had visited the refinery in Lagos and promised the billionaire, Dangote, their intervention.
Days after the referral, some lawmakers close to Mr Ugochinyere launched a campaign for the sack of the GMD of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari. Philip Agbese, the deputy spokesperson of the House, led the effort for the removal of Kyari.
“The House of Representatives will not hesitate to call for the dismissal of Mele Kyari if the attempt to destroy the refinery project, a national asset, does not stop immediately,” Mr Agbese had said.
A source told TVN that the comment by Agbese gave the impression that the deputy spokesperson was carrying out orders from the leadership who had earlier promised to help Dangote.
Following the comments, another group loyal to Mr Kyari launched massive support for the NNPC boss. The group, led by Billy Osawaru, condemned the call for the sack of Kyari.
The condemnation was said to have stemmed from the fact that the committee was set to sit on the matter and couldn’t have taken any decision either way.
TVN findings revealed that for days, the two camps were lobbying members to join their respective sides.
“The two camps wanted to have as many lawmakers on their sides as possible. Meetings, phone calls, and lobbying of caucus leaders to influence members became the order of the day,” a source in the House told TVN.
On Saturday, advertorials were also launched in major national dailies; however, many later distanced themselves from the advert, stating that they were not consulted.
Aside from the advertorial, there were also accusations and counterclaims by both sides.
Mr Ugochinyere was accused of boasting to have paid $1.7 million to get the Committee; he was also accused of threatening to rock the boat in the House should he be relieved of the Committee.
However, he denied the allegations, describing it as an attempt to “divert attention from endemic corruption in the oil and gas industry”.
Ugochinyere said, “The allegation is a belated nonsensical, childish, and unprofessional fiction work aimed at creating division in the House to aid some criminal elements that are long overdue for the prison to think they can escape justice which is impossible as the demand for transparency and reform is a task that will be pushed.
“Only a childish mind will believe the poorly scripted work that Speaker was given 1.7m dollars for something that is not worth a penny. We will not dignify the cheap attempt to distract and divert attention from the House investigation on the corruption from our Oil industry.”
But many close to the committee informed this paper that some lawmakers in the ad hoc committee disagreed with how Mr Ugochinyere controlled the entire committee and made decisions unilaterally.
His alleged control of the committee was also given as reason for the reported resignation of Okojie and other members a few hours to its dissolution.
TVN reported that in a letter Okojie co-signed by the Deputy chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Midstream, Hon. Engr. Sagir Ibrahim Koki, addressed to the Speaker, they dissociated “from all allegations and counter allegations concerning the ongoing investigation on the above subject matter by the Joint House Committees on Petroleum Resources (Midstream) and (Downstream) set up by the House of Representatives.”
The two lawmakers, however, stated on behalf of their committee that,” we are ever ready to carry out any assigned responsibility to us without making any compromise to the detriment of the House of Representatives, the Rules and indeed the Constitution which we have all sworn to uphold.”
Meanwhile, the same source in the House told TVN that, “You know that Ugochinyere has become very powerful in the House. During the election of the Speaker, he set up a campaign office by renting an entire suite at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro for Abbas/Kalu, and that was why he got that powerful committee despite being a first-timer in the House.”
Also, Mr Ugochinyere’s profile has risen significantly in the House with the fight against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. Ugochinyere was able to mobilise lawmakers in support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is in a fight with Wike.
Abbas’ intervention fuel speculation of rift with Kalu
Following the massive division that rocked the House, Speaker Abbas called for an emergency session on Sunday to prevent further damage in the House. The leadership resolved to limit the number of lawmakers speaking to the press and ordered the dissolution of “unauthorised groups in the House”.
TVN obtained the details of the meeting. In the minutes of the meeting, the House resolved that only authorised members should speak to the press.
“Unauthorised media engagements by Members are considered unparliamentary and unethical. Speaking on behalf of the House is reserved exclusively for the House Spokesperson, Deputy, and Leadership. Recognised caucuses may only address matters related to their specific geo-political zones,” it said.
In a surprise move, the Committee was dissolved by the House. This happened some hours after the Deputy Speaker delivered an opening remark at the inaugural sitting of the committee, fuelling speculation of a rift between Abbas and his deputy.
Mr Ugochinyere is seen by many in the House as a close ally of the Deputy Speaker.
So far, the House seems to have hit a break on tearing apart, but tensions are still high pending the announcement of another ad hoc committee to replace the disbanded one.
Meanwhile, the House leadership is also rattled over the bribery-for-committee allegations.
In a statement issued by House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jnr on Wednesday, he said that the recent dissolution of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee adhered to the 1999 Constitution and the House’s standing rules.
“At no point did the House leadership or any individual receive inducements for committee appointments.
“The Selection Committee, which included members from all states of the federation, diligently executed these appointments between June and July 2023.”
One of the Nigerians dissatisfied with the happenings in the House amid the ongoing probe is Dr. Reuben Abati, a veteran journalist and former Senior Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
This is as he dismissed the call by some members of the House for Kyari’s sack.
Abati, the lead anchor in the popular Arise TV breakfast talk show, Morning Show, described the call as “unfair, wrong, and unreasonable, noting that it was wrong for the legislators to ascribe the problem of the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry to just one man.
“The problem with the oil and gas industry in Nigeria is not Mele Kyari. The problem is the way we have run our affairs as a country. Leadership is what is required to address these issues, not crucifying an individual.
“I think the bigger story is that we have seen some people in the media saying Kyari is the problem with the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry.
“We have seen people put up an advertisement for and against the sack of Mele Kyari. No, Mele Kyari is not the problem.
“There are fundamental issues with the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria, which has been there since the 70s and no government has been able to address it.
“So, it is not about crucifying an individual. What Kyari, in my own understanding, is trying to do is to make an effort to solve the problem. But to assume that one man is the cause of the problem will be a very unfair, wrong and unreasonable way to go.
“So, the members of the National Assembly who are saying they want to take Kyari’s head, no, they have their own heads in the wrong place. He is not the cause of the problem.”
NNPCL, Dangote rift probe: Bribery allegations unsettle Reps