Falana demands probe, threatens to sue government over national refineries
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Human rights activist Femi Falana, SAN has demanded a probe of refined fuel imports, which he called a “scam” after the admission by Mele Kyari that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) owes $6 billion debt to suppliers.
The NNPC Group Managing Director, who reports directly to President Bola Tinubu who doubles as Petroleum Minister, finally confirmed the debt at the weekend after months of denial, a debt partly responsible for the current fuel scarcity that has further raised transport costs.
“It is high time the importation scam was investigated. I am not talking of the joke that is going on in the National Assembly. The media must help civil society organisations to expose the fraud,” Falana argued on Channels Television.
“Once the government begins to speak about affordability and sustainability in response to growing queues at filling stations, there are problems.”
However, Falana’s call for an investigation may be a long shot as Tinubu and his family members have vested interests in the oil industry, he having facilitated for his nephew Wale Tinubu’s firm, OVH, the acquisition of NNPC retail outlets in addition to Wale being the Chief Executive Officer of Oando Oil.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused Tinubu of several areas of conflict of interest – which violates his oath of office – and that by awarding the NNPC contract to OVH, he has mortgaged Nigeria’s future to himself, family members, and cronies.
“Nigeria paid Wale Tinubu a significant sum to facilitate the Tinubu family’s acquisition of the national oil company. This represents a clear case of illogical business transactions and abuse of office by President Tinubu, who has prevented NNPC from becoming a public liability company as stipulated by the PIA [Petroleum Industry Act,” Atiku said in a statement issued two weeks ago.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has lamented that the landing cost per litre of petrol makes it impossible for marketers to import the commodity as done by the NNPC.
Kyari disclosed on Sunday the $6 billion debt the NNPC owes fuel suppliers has worsened its scarcity in Nigeria and poses a threat to the sustainability of supply at petrol stations.
Even with that, Falana insisted there is no full disclosure on the part of the government on subsidy on petrol, noting Nigeria cannot spend “$2.9 billion to fix the [national] refineries” and that the dates for the resumption of production at the refineries have been constantly shifted.
He threatened to sue those responsible for repairing the national refineries if they announce another postponement.
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