A Pressure Group in the South East, Ohaneze Think Tank, has called on the House of Representatives to sack the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum, Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere, and investigate the activities of the disbanded Ugochinyere-led committee, over an attempt to rubbish the achievements of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under Engr Mele Kyari.
The Think Tank Group, while describing Ugochinyere’s 15-man committee as scandalous, which must be investigated forthwith to serve as deterrent, added that lawmaker and his cohorts were poised to impose their sinister agenda on the House and the Nigerian public.
According to a statement jointly signed by Dr Azubuike Ajuluchukwu and Dr Cletus Akinyili, Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator, in Enugu, the Group asked the lower chamber of the National Assembly to mandate the disbanded Committee to account for its shameful conduct, which interestingly came to light only after visiting the Dangote Refinery.
It similarly accused the committee of a premeditated stance to drag the hard-earned reputation of the Mele Kyari-led NNPCL to needless mud and altercations, maintaining that the committee’s activities were “a sham and mere distraction.”
In addition, the Ohaneze group noted that rather than facing the crucial task, the Ugochinyere-led committee jumped to a spiteful conclusion that Kyari and the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPR, Farouk Ahmed, should be sacrificed even before scratching the surface of a thorough investigation.
It chided the lawmaker, saying it was a shame that a man who claims to be a lawyer did not think about a fair hearing.
The statement titled, “Plea for removal of Ugochinyere as Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Midstream),” read, “It’s heartening that after a public outcry, the House of Representatives finally dissolved the so-called committee that was supposed to investigate the frivolous allegations against the Group CEO of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, by the so-called group of 15 members of the House.
“But the matter should not end there. That scandalous committee of 15-man led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere must also be investigated as a deterrent.
“Ugochinyere has grossly abused his position as chairman of the Ad-hoc House Committee on Petroleum Products for reasons best known to him but which are hardly consistent with the public interest.
“Rather than facing the crucial task, the Ugochinyere-led committee jumped to a spiteful conclusion that Kyari and the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPR, Farouk Ahmed, should be sacrificed even before scratching the surface of a thorough investigation.
“It’s a shame that a man who claims to be a lawyer did not think about a fair hearing.
Hiding under the cloak of the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Rep. Philip Agbese, Ugochinyere ignited a media agenda against the NNPCL management, feeding his colleagues in the House, especially the leadership and the general public with falsehood and a deliberate attempt to destroy Kyari’s reputation by criticising him unfairly and dishonestly to please those whose bidding he was willing to do at all cost.
“But for the swift intervention of about 120 members of the House under the aegis of “1 Agenda”, Ugochinyere and his cohorts were poised to impose their sinister agenda on the House and the Nigerian public.
“The only way he and people like him can learn a lesson is for them to be investigated. What is their interest in the Dangote Refinery?
We align ourselves with the views of “1 Agenda” that the calls for Kyari’s removal are baseless, unfair and hypocritical.
“He deserves commendation for his leadership and transformation of NNPC Ltd, increasing crude oil production from 800,000 bpd to 1.6 million bpd.
“We have every reason to suspect that the calls for Kyari’s removal are targeted at the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the petroleum minister.
“We, therefore, call on the House not to stop at dissolution of the ad-hoc committee set up to implement the scandalous agenda of Ugochinyere and his ilk but also to investigate Ugochinyere’s interest in the Dangote Refinery further.
“Ugochinyere and members of his extortionist ad-hoc committee were heavily compromised during their visit to Dangote Refinery. They were desperate to justify and deliver to justify package.”
