The Senate has threatened to invoke its constitutional powers to compel the looks of exterior auditors engaged by the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm Restricted (NNPCL), in any case 4 auditing corporations did not honour an invite to look earlier than the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC).
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, chairman of the committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa SDP), expressed robust dissatisfaction over the absence of the auditors, warning {that a} warrant of arrest could also be issued in the event that they fail to point out up by the brand new deadline.
He stated it was utterly unacceptable that residents saddled with public belief would constantly breach identical.
Tensions rose within the committee room when not one of the 4 exterior auditing corporations engaged by NNPCL appeared earlier than the committee, regardless of being formally invited to make clear what the committee described as “contentious points” within the NNPCL’s annual and political {financial} statements.
As a substitute, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) appeared on their behalf, claiming he had been delegated to signify the corporations. The committee, nevertheless, rejected the looks of the senior lawyer, describing it as inappropriate and inconsistent with the principles of engagement.
In keeping with the committee, solely the precise auditors, those that ready the studies—are deemed match to supply solutions and clarifications. “We discovered him not match and correct as of right this moment to face earlier than us as a consultant of the exterior auditing corporations,” Senator Wadada said.
The committee additionally listed the names of the exterior auditing corporations concerned to incorporate SIAO, VWC, Muktali Dangana & Co and Ahmed Zakaria & Co. The corporations, in keeping with lawmakers, have been anticipated to look individually to reply to particular queries raised within the examination of NNPCL’s 2023 accounts.
“If they don’t seem as summoned, we may have no alternative however to invoke the powers out there to us below the legislation to compel their attendance. The Nigerian public and the worldwide group should know the reality,” the committee warned.
The lawmakers hinted that failure to honour the brand new deadline might result in full public disclosure of the {financial} irregularities below scrutiny, in addition to authorized steps to compel compliance.
Additionally, a member of the committee, Senator Saliu Mustapha, added that: “There are delicate points that should be addressed. We can’t enable them to be swept below the carpet. Our responsibility as representatives of the Nigerian folks calls for that we guarantee full accountability.”
In a agency decision, the committee issued a remaining warning, giving the exterior auditors a brand new deadline of Tuesday, Might 27, 2025, at precisely 2:00pm to look in particular person earlier than it. “We’re giving the auditors of NNPC two weeks from now—however to be clear, they need to seem subsequent week Tuesday,” the committee said, signalling its unwillingness to tolerate no additional delays.
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