By Atoyebi Nike
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has confirmed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has formally responded to 19 audit queries involving discrepancies amounting to ₦210 trillion in its financial records covering 2017 to 2023.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada, disclosed this in Abuja during an interview with journalists, noting that while the company’s response has been received, the committee has yet to examine the submitted documents in detail.
Wadada explained that the NNPCL had earlier sought an extension after being directed on July 29 to provide responses within three weeks. The company’s management, led by Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari, requested more time to compile data, which the Senate committee granted.
“While we were on recess, management of NNPCL wrote to the committee, requesting an extension of time to enable them to compile data and respond comprehensively to the questions we raised, and we granted that request. They have since responded, and we now have answers to all 19 questions we sent to them; however, the report is yet to be presented before the committee,” Wadada said.
He stressed that he would refrain from making public statements until the committee has formally reviewed the documents. “But let me assure you, as I promised earlier on behalf of the committee, we will do justice to the matter,” he added.
The senator assured Nigerians that the committee’s review will be transparent, and the public will be informed of the findings in due course. “Out of those answers, the ones that make sense and those that do not will be evident to the public,” he stated.
