A group of fifteen lawmakers, operating as The Economy Rescue Group, has demanded the resignation of Mele Kyari, who serves as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
They alleged that mismanagement under Kyari’s leadership at the NNPCL has contributed to the challenges faced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a press release issued in Abuja and signed by their leader, Honourable Esosa Iyawe, a member representing Oredo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the lawmakers urged for Kyari’s suspension pending the outcome of a forensic investigation by the House of Representatives’ joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream).
According to the lawmakers, Kyari and other NNPCL management personnel are undermining Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
They insisted that Kyari and his team should be relieved of their duties until the House of Representatives completes its investigation to prevent any acts of sabotage.
In support of the House’s investigation into issues such as the involvement of middlemen in trading, the improper issuance of licenses, lack of facilities to test adulterated products, and the infiltration of substandard goods into the country, the group advised President Tinubu to take decisive action by suspending top NNPCL officials during the probe.
The lawmakers emphasized the need for accountability within the oil and gas sector, pointing out various irregularities including unfair subsidization of petroleum products, favoritism in the Pro Forma Invoice System, delays in refinery rehabilitation, and the alleged use of middlemen in trading that disrupts domestic crude supply.
They argued that with these issues occurring under Kyari’s watch, there is little opportunity for economic growth to flourish.
Therefore, they asserted that suspending the NNPCL management is imperative to safeguard against further damage to Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Furthermore, Honourable Esosa Iyawe previously motioned in the House for the Federal Government to suspend Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), pending an investigation into his comments regarding the quality of petroleum products at Dangote Refinery.