Senate Threatens Sanctions As CBN, NDDC, NUPRC Shun NEITI Probe

By Jane Salihu

The Senate Public Accounts Committee on Monday threatened to invoke constitutional sanctions against the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission for shunning its investigative hearing on audit queries from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative reports.

The panel, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe North), expressed displeasure over the absence of the agencies at the opening of its three-week investigative hearing on the 2021–2023 NEITI audit reports on the oil and gas sector.

The management of NEITI, whose reports form the basis of the probe, was also absent at the hearing.

Irked by the development, the committee directed the heads of the three agencies and NEITI to appear before it unfailingly on Thursday, August 6, warning that failure to honour the summons would attract sanctions in line with the 1999 Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders.

Dankwambo described the absence of the invited agencies as unacceptable, stressing that the Senate would not tolerate any action capable of undermining its oversight powers.

Contributing, Senator Babangida Hussaini (APC, Jigawa North-West) urged the committee to invoke its constitutional powers against the defaulting agencies.

Citing Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and relevant provisions of the Senate Standing Orders, Hussaini argued that the refusal of the agencies to honour the invitation amounted to disregard for the authority of the National Assembly.

“It is a distraction to the institution of the National Assembly for any agency, by whatever name or designation, to refuse to appear and answer audit queries that have been validly raised,” he said.

Hussaini said the committee was being taken for granted, adding that the action undermined the institutional integrity of the Senate and the interest of Nigerians. He called for drastic measures to compel compliance.

On his part, Senator Patrick Ndubueze (APC, Imo North) opposed granting the agencies a second chance, insisting they deserved immediate sanctions.

Ndubueze noted that none of the agencies communicated with the committee, sent representatives or gave reasons for their absence.

“To me, they don’t deserve to be given any second chance of appearance,” he said.

The committee, however, resolved to continue with the probe.

Other institutions expected to appear during the hearing include the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and other relevant agencies.

The investigation is expected to scrutinise issues raised in the 2021–2023 NEITI audit reports, which centre on transparency, accountability and revenue management in the oil and gas industry.