N210tr Scandal: Senate Slams NNPCL GCEO, Orders 24-hour Ultimatum
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that tensions escalated at the National Assembly on Tuesday after the Senate Committee on Public Accounts issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bashir Ojulari, following his failure to appear before the committee for the fourth time in two months.
Mr. Ojulari is under scrutiny over discrepancies amounting to ₦210 trillion in the NNPCL’s audited financial statements spanning 2017 to 2023. His repeated absence has fueled growing frustration among lawmakers, who now accuse him of deliberately evading legislative oversight and exhibiting disdain for democratic accountability.
At the committee’s latest sitting, senators expressed outrage after receiving a letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Adedayo Segun, stating that the GCEO could not attend due to an urgent summons to the Presidential Villa for a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
The committee, however, rejected the explanation, calling it a flimsy excuse and a continued display of institutional arrogance.
“That letter is suspicious. This is clearly another tactic to avoid accountability,” said Senator Victor Umeh. “We must escalate this to the President. Ojulari cannot keep undermining this committee with impunity.”
The committee is probing irregularities in the NNPCL’s financial records, including ₦103 trillion in accrued expenses, ₦600 billion in retention fees, and other unexplained legal and audit charges—many lacking supporting documentation or formal contracts.
“This is not a personal matter. These are public funds and this is about transparency and accountability,” said Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas. “The GCEO has demonstrated utter contempt for the Nigerian people.”
Senator Aminu Abbas added: “He is not above the law. He must appear before this committee within 24 hours, or we will be forced to take necessary legislative action. Enough is enough.”
Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, also criticized Ojulari’s conduct, describing it as a direct insult to the authority of the Senate and the Nigerian people.
