•Lawmakers summon Kyari, others over alleged sour oil deal
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has reiterated the need for cooperation between the National Assembly and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the upcoming constitutional amendment for the betterment of the country.
He made the appeal in a congratulatory message issued by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, to felicitate with Olumide Akpata on his victory at the NBA presidential election at the weekend.
Lawan, who hinted that the exercise would gather momentum when the lawmakers resume from the Sallah break, noted:
“We at the National Assembly will count on the inputs of members of the public and in particular the respected members of the bar in the efforts to fine-tune our constitution.”
The number three citizen said the legislature looks forward to working with the new NBA leadership in strengthening the rule of law and administration of justice in Nigeria.
He greeted the 30th president of the lawyers’ body, other elected officers as well as the association for a successful poll.
Lawan submitted that Akpata and his team had convinced their learned colleagues that they possess the experience, integrity and capacity to lead the respected group, urging them not to betray the high expectations.
Describing NBA as a pillar of democracy given the pivotal role of the legal profession in ensuring order and justice in the polity, the Senate President wished the new officials a successful tenure and challenged them on promotion of the tenets of their noble career for the good of the most populous black nation.
Besides, the House of Representatives has summoned Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari over alleged breach of contractual obligations with an indigenous engineering firm, DE COON Services Limited.
Also invited by the Sarki Musa Adar-led House Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) are heads of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC.), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) and Oando.
The panel, which interacted with the firm’s Managing Director, Nelson Onubogu in Abuja, directed the invitees to appear before it on August 12 to throw more light on the issue.
Testifying before the legislators, Onubogu claimed that his company was being owed $30 million and N70 million by NAOC despite the fact that it had allegedly received over 70 per cent of the contractual sum via several cash-calls executed with the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS).
He alleged that the oil major had refused to issue the required purchase orders to enable his firm process invoices for payment.
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