Reps probe alleged theft of $ 339 million in crude oil scheme
Directs INEC to review constituencies
THE House of Representatives has ordered immediate probe of alleged theft of over $ 339 million under the DirectSale Direct- Purchase ( DSDP) crude oil scheme.
The decision followed adoption of a motion sponsored by Mr. Abubakar Yalleman at plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase. An adhoc committee of the
House is to conduct the probe to ascertain the quantum and value of allocation of crude oil under the DSDP scheme from 2018 till date. Also, the lawmakers would probe into crude oil allocation per refinery, the rationale for such allocation and what happened to unutilised stock of crude oil in case of a refinery with inadequate production capacity.
Yalleman, while moving the motion, alleged that approximately 5.2 million barrels of crude oil supposedly allocated to comatose NNPC refineries in 2018 under DSDP operations were unaccounted for.
The lawmaker further alleged that almost half of the 10.9 million barrels of crude oil allocated for domestic supply between June 2018 and July 2019 as reported by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) were either stolen or diverted. The Jigawa- born lawmaker thereby claimed that the country must have lost $ 339 million due to the alleged shady deal.
He warned that if such leakages were not plugged, it could deepen national deficit even further, thus depriving the country of sustainable growth and development.
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LSO, yesterday, the House directed Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) to commence review of constituency delineation as enshrined in 1999 Constitution, as amended. The House maintained that in reviewing the constituencies, INEC should take into c o n s i d e r a t i o n Aniocha/ Oshimili federal constituency in Delta State which has four local government areas and one of the largest in both population and land mass.
The lawmakers particularly urged INEC to split the constituency into Aniocha north/ Aniocha south federal constituency and Oshimili north/ Oshimili south federal constituency.
They also urged the electoral body to split Iseyin/ Kajola/ Iwajowa/ Itesi waju federal constituency in Oyo State with four local government areas into Iseyin/ Kajola federal constituency and Iwajowa/ Itesiwaju federal constituency.
While adopting the motion sponsored by the Minority leader, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, the House mandated its committee on electoral matters to interface with the leadership of INEC and report back in six weeks for further legislative action.
Elumelu, leading debate on the issue, argued that the call was in line with the provision of section 71( b) , 73 ( 1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers INEC to review states and federal constituencies at intervals of not less than 10 years.