Senate fumes as Ojulari snubs committee over missing N210 trillion

The Nigerian Senate Committee on Public Accounts has expressed outrage over the repeated failure of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it to address unresolved financial queries amounting to N210 trillion.

Despite a 10-day ultimatum issued to Ojulari, the embattled NNPCL boss failed to appear in person at Thursday’s hearing, opting instead to send company representatives—a move the committee flatly rejected.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada, insisted that only the GCEO himself could provide explanations on the 11 critical financial issues raised in NNPCL’s audited statements spanning 2017 to 2023. He described Ojulari’s absence as “a direct affront to the authority of the National Assembly” and a “clear breach of constitutional oversight functions.”

“This continued disregard for the summons of the National Assembly is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Wadada said. “The committee demands accountability and transparency in line with our constitutional mandate.”

The Senate had previously given the NNPCL leadership a 10-day deadline to appear and clarify discrepancies flagged by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. The issues involve massive unaccounted funds and irregularities in financial reporting during the stated period.

NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, had earlier communicated to the committee that company executives were attending a retreat, which was why they could not honour the invitation.

However, the explanation did not sit well with lawmakers, who viewed it as an attempt to trivialize the legislative process.

Senator Wadada disclosed that a new date would be announced shortly and warned that continued defiance by the NNPCL leadership could result in more severe consequences, including potential legal action or a warrant of arrest to compel Ojulari’s appearance.

The Committee on Public Accounts plays a key role in scrutinizing government expenditures and ensuring accountability in public institutions. The mounting tension between the Senate and the NNPCL could escalate if the leadership of the state-owned oil giant continues to sidestep parliamentary oversight.

The Senate is expected to reconvene soon to deliberate further on the matter and determine the next line of action.