P
ProfRem
Guest
The Senate has postponed the commencement of its planned investigation into the alleged award of $25 billion worth of contracts in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Following the allegation of abuse of due process made by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, against the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, the Senate resolved to investigate the matter.
The upper chamber also resolved to investigate Baru over alleged insubordination and abuse of office as contained in the leaked Kachikwu’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who announced the postponement during yesterday’s plenary session, said that the investigation would commence next Tuesday.
The investigative panel headed by former Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, ought to have started work yesterday.Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, did not give any reason for the sudden postponement.
It was, however, learnt that pressure was being mounted on the Senate leadership from many powerful quarters to abandon the probe.
When Senate President Bukola Saraki constituted the ad-hoc panel last week, following a resolution of the Senate and public outcry over the award of the alleged contracts, the committee was given four weeks to submit its report.A source said that an earlier meeting scheduled last week by the panel chairman, Wammako, was also called off at the last minute for undisclosed reasons.
Wamakko is yet to address the press about the modalities his committee would adopt in conducting the investigation.
After the Senate announced its decision to probe the alleged contracts, the presidency came out to deny their existence.
Following the allegation of abuse of due process made by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, against the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, the Senate resolved to investigate the matter.
The upper chamber also resolved to investigate Baru over alleged insubordination and abuse of office as contained in the leaked Kachikwu’s letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who announced the postponement during yesterday’s plenary session, said that the investigation would commence next Tuesday.
The investigative panel headed by former Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, ought to have started work yesterday.Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, did not give any reason for the sudden postponement.
It was, however, learnt that pressure was being mounted on the Senate leadership from many powerful quarters to abandon the probe.
When Senate President Bukola Saraki constituted the ad-hoc panel last week, following a resolution of the Senate and public outcry over the award of the alleged contracts, the committee was given four weeks to submit its report.A source said that an earlier meeting scheduled last week by the panel chairman, Wammako, was also called off at the last minute for undisclosed reasons.
Wamakko is yet to address the press about the modalities his committee would adopt in conducting the investigation.
After the Senate announced its decision to probe the alleged contracts, the presidency came out to deny their existence.
