By Joy Odor
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) has summoned the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it to explain the N210 trillion financial infraction raised against the company.
The Committee, led by its Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada Ahmed during the investigative hearing with top management staff of NNPCL on Thursday insists that Ojulari must account for the financial infractions and other queries raised in the audit reports from 2017 to 2023.
Recall that the NNPCL has been accused of a N210 trillion financial infraction, which the company has not accounted for.
The Senate Committee has summoned Ojulari to appear before it to explain the financial infractions and other queries.
In line with its earlier directive , the committee at the investigative session refused to allow the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr Dapo Segun to make any submission or presentation on behalf of the GCEO, who had traveled for Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting currently holding in Vienna in Austria.
The Committee rejected the GCEO’s absence due to an OPEC meeting, insisting that he must prioritize the Committee’s invitation.
The Committee informed that is determined to ensure accountability and probity in the spending of public funds.
Senator Abdul Ningi and Senator Adams Oshiomhole in their contributions emphasized that nobody is above the law, and the GCEO must obey the committee’s invitation.
“It is very disturbing and unacceptable for the GCEO of NNPCL to dishonour this committee’s invitation for his appearance again. He has never appeared before this committee since his appointment which is really disturbing.
”Invitation for his appearance before the committee was sent to him before the OPEC meeting which as far as we are concerned, he is supposed to use his discretion on where to be today which should be before this committee and by extension, the Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria.
”He must appear before this committee as directed.
“Nobody is bigger than the country and anybody who feels so, has no business in government. NNPCL GCEO should make good use of the window of invitation for appearance being offered to him now before the door is shut against him with a forceful one.
”The committee is not appealing but ordering him to appear before it which in his own interest, must be obeyed” they lamented .
The Committee therefore resolved to communicate a new date for Ojulari’s appearance and expects him to unfailingly attend.
