Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Allwell Onyesoh, has launched a blistering attack on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for repeatedly failing to honour invitations from the National Assembly, describing the action as a setback to legislative oversight and the fight against crude oil theft. Onyesoh, who represents Rivers East Senatorial District, spoke with journalists on Friday, July 17, 2026, after a meeting of the Senate committee investigating crude oil theft and considering amendments to Nigeria's petroleum laws. The senator had earlier staged a walkout from the committee meeting in protest over what he described as the recurring absence of the NNPCL's top management at critical legislative engagements.
The committee, which is probing crude oil theft and reviewing amendments to Nigeria's petroleum laws to strengthen regulatory oversight, was forced to continue its deliberations without the presence of the NNPCL's leadership. Onyesoh described the corporation's repeated failure to appear before the committee as an affront to the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly and a dangerous precedent for public accountability. "We are not contractors. We are simply asking questions. Give us facts. Give us records. We want to study them. That is our constitutional responsibility," he said. The senator maintained that the National Assembly has a constitutional duty to scrutinise the activities of government agencies, particularly one responsible for managing Nigeria's oil resources.
Onyesoh rejected the corporation's repeated explanation that its officials were unavailable due to official engagements abroad. "They keep writing letters saying they are travelling to Congo, travelling here and there, just to dodge simple things. Was the GCEO appointed to keep travelling or to work? Is Nigeria's problem outside the country or here in Nigeria? How is it possible that the GCEO, his deputy, directors and the entire management are all travelling at the same time? That is not acceptable," he said. The lawmaker argued that the corporation's continued refusal to appear before the Senate only deepened public suspicion about its willingness to submit to parliamentary scrutiny. "If you are serving the people of Nigeria, first and foremost, you must obey the laws of the land. The highest law-making body in the country invites you, and consistently, you are too big to appear. Who told you that?" he queried.
The senator insisted that no public institution was above legislative oversight and dismissed suggestions that the NNPCL was answerable only to the Presidency. He also cautioned against linking the corporation's conduct to President Bola Tinubu, saying the President had consistently shown respect for the legislature. "I know Mr President. That is not the President I know. He will not tell any agency to ignore the National Assembly. We all work with Mr President. Whenever issues arise, he engages the legislature with respect," Onyesoh said. He disclosed that he would formally engage the Senate leadership over what he described as the corporation's repeated disregard for parliamentary invitations, in order to strengthen legislative oversight and institutional accountability.
Beyond the issue of oversight, Onyesoh expressed concern over the continued underdevelopment of oil-producing communities despite the enormous wealth generated from petroleum resources. Recalling the history of Umuechem in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, one of Nigeria's earliest oil-producing communities after Oloibiri, Onyesoh said many host communities still lacked basic infrastructure, employment opportunities and meaningful participation in the petroleum industry. He questioned why employment opportunities, training programmes and other benefits in the oil sector rarely reached people from the communities where crude oil is produced. The senator also called on the Petroleum Technology Development Fund to publish records showing how many indigenes of Rivers State and other oil-producing communities had benefited from its scholarship and capacity development programmes.
The committee meeting also examined proposed amendments to Nigeria's petroleum laws, particularly outdated provisions relating to penalties and regulatory enforcement, as part of efforts to strengthen the sector, curb crude oil theft, improve regulatory efficiency and boost crude oil production. Onyesoh reaffirmed his commitment to demanding greater accountability, transparency and equitable treatment for oil-producing communities, pledging to continue advocating for the interests of the people of Rivers East Senatorial District. The senator's strong rebuke of the NNPCL's repeated absence from legislative hearings underscores the growing frustration among lawmakers over what they perceive as a culture of impunity within the state-owned oil company, and signals a renewed push to enforce parliamentary oversight over Nigeria's most strategic national asset.
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