Rivers Senator Condemns NNPC’s Failure to Honour Senate’s Invitations

The vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Allwell Onyesoh, has criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over what he described as its persistent refusal to honour invitations from the National Assembly, warning that the development undermines legislative oversight and accountability.

Speaking with journalists after a meeting of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Onyesoh said the repeated absence of the NNPC’s top management at committee engagements was unacceptable and contrary to the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to oversee public institutions.

The Rivers East senator, who had earlier staged a walkout from the committee meeting in protest, said the Senate was investigating crude oil theft and considering amendments to Nigeria’s petroleum laws, making the corporation’s cooperation essential.

He said the committee was not seeking favours from the oil company but simply carrying out its constitutional oversight mandate.

“We are not contractors. We are simply asking questions. Give us facts. Give us records. We want to study them. That is our constitutional responsibility,” he said.

Onyesoh dismissed the corporation’s repeated explanation that its officials were unavailable due to official foreign trips, describing the excuse as unconvincing.

“They keep writing letters saying they are travelling to Congo, travelling here and there, just to dodge simple things. Was the GCEO appointed to keep travelling or to work? Is Nigeria’s problem outside the country or here in Nigeria? How is it possible that the GCEO, his deputy, directors and the entire management are all travelling at the same time? That is not acceptable,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, the continued failure of the NNPC’s leadership to appear before the Senate raises concerns about the corporation’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

“If you are serving the people of Nigeria, first and foremost, you must obey the laws of the land. The highest law-making body in the country invites you, and consistently you are too big to appear. Who told you that?” he queried.

He stressed that no government agency is above legislative oversight, insisting that every public institution established under Nigerian law remains accountable to the National Assembly.

Onyesoh also rejected suggestions that the NNPC was answerable only to the Presidency, saying President Bola Tinubu had consistently demonstrated respect for the legislature.

“I know Mr. President. That is not the President I know. He will not tell any agency to ignore the National Assembly. We all work with Mr. President. Whenever issues arise, he engages the legislature with respect,” he said.

The senator disclosed that he would formally brief the Senate leadership on what he described as the corporation’s repeated disregard for parliamentary invitations in order to strengthen legislative oversight and institutional accountability.

He also called for greater transparency in the petroleum sector, urging the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to publish records showing the beneficiaries of its scholarship and capacity development programmes, particularly from oil-producing communities.

Onyesoh lamented that despite the wealth generated from the Niger Delta, many host communities still lacked basic infrastructure, employment opportunities and meaningful participation in the petroleum industry.

He reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for greater accountability in the sector and ensuring that oil-producing communities benefit more directly from the nation’s petroleum resources.

The committee is currently investigating crude oil theft and reviewing proposed amendments to Nigeria’s petroleum laws aimed at strengthening regulatory enforcement, improving transparency and boosting crude oil production.