Lawyers to reps: Don’t sweep OVH acquisition, other sleeze under carpet

No fewer than 20 Constitutional lawyers have urged the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel not to sweep the OVH Acquisition and other sleeze under carpet. In a strong statement, the legal practitioners led by Constitutional Activist Comrade Tijani Usman, said they are the larger issues the Joint Committee […]

No fewer than 20 Constitutional lawyers have urged the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel not to sweep the OVH Acquisition and other sleeze under carpet.

In a strong statement, the legal practitioners led by Constitutional Activist Comrade Tijani Usman, said they are the larger issues the Joint Committee should look into beyond those raised in the motion that prompted the forensic investigation.

The statement said: “It is quite fascinating that the House of Representatives has resolved to carry out a forensic investigation into the presence of middlemen in trading, the indiscriminate issuance of licenses, the unavailability of laboratories to check adulterated products, the influx of adulterated products into the country, the allegation of non-domestication of profits realised from crude marketing sales in local banks, and other anomalies.

“Interestingly too, the forensic investigation also cover the importation of substandard products and high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, the sale of petroleum products below fair market value, and the impact on downstream and local refineries and as the source of funds for such interventions, amongst other things, and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

“However, this would be an effort in futility if some people are allowed to remain in office while the investigation is being conducted.

“Thus, we urge the House of Representatives’ Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream) conducting forensic investigation into the state of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and downstream sector generally to recommend their suspension to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or else they will use their tremendous influence to sabotage this timely intervention.”