Senate Set To Begin Probe Of NMDPRA MD
•••As Protest Seeking To Suspend Him Enters Day Two
•By Admin
ABUJA – The upper chamber of the National Assembly has disclosed its readiness to probe the the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
This is even as the protest seeking the suspension of the NMDPRA MD entered the second day.
The protest of public interest lawyers, who stormed the National Assembly, with a petition, called on the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to immediately suspend and prosecute the MD.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Oil and Gas, Senator Kawu Ismaila, who received the petition on behalf of the Senate promised to liaise with other members of the committee and investigate the agency.
He said: “One of our constitutional rights is to do oversight. We will look into the allegation, those who are concerned should come and defend themselves.
“We will invite you to come and defend the petition. We will call you to come and defend the allegation because we must do it in accordance with the law.
“When we have a copy of the petition we will sit down together with your leaders and look at the allegation act in accordance with the law.”
The lawyers, in their petition cited grave allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and conflict of interest against the MD.
In the petition signed by Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr and three others, they also demanded that the National Assembly commence an immediate investigation, recommend Ahmed’s immediate sack and suspension, and arrest.
They also called for the freezing of Ahmed’s local and offshore assets and sweeping reforms in the appointment and oversight of regulatory agency heads in the oil and gas sector.
The lawyers described Ahmed’s actions as a clear abuse of office, a betrayal of the Nigerian people’s trust, and a severe breach of the fiduciary duty required of all public servants.
The petition reads in part: “We urge the Senate to commence an immediate and public hearing investigative hearing into these allegations, summoning Mr. Farouk Ahmed and relevant stakeholders..
“Recommend his immediate sack and suspension from office to prevent interference with ongoing investigations. Refer this matter to the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau for coordinated criminal investigation and prosecution.
“In the event he has absconded from Nigeria immediately call for collaboration with international security agencies like the Interpol to ensure his extradition back to Nigeria and the freezing of his local and offshore assets.
“Institute sweeping reforms in the appointment, conduct, and oversight of regulatory agency heads in the oil and gas sector.
“This is a defining moment for the National Assembly to rise in defense of public interest, uphold its constitutional oversight duty, and send a strong message that corruption, abuse of power, and impunity have no place in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The petition is backed by civil society organisations, including the Situation Room for Oil Sector Reforms, the Concerned Young Professionals Network, and the Coalition for Public Accountability (COPA), who have held protests calling for Ahmed’s suspension and prosecution.
•INDEPENDENTNG.