The new Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mr. Shehu Ladan has taken full charge amidst fears that more top officials of the corporation may be sacked.
The fears may not be unconnected with the alleged involvement of top officials of the NNPC is some shady deals for which the immediate past GMD Mohammed Barkindo was last week sacked by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
Barkindo was removed the same day Jonathan swore in new ministers and named Mrs. Dieziani Allison Madueke as Minister of Petroleum.
Presently the former GMD who is being investigated for alleged involvement in some shady deals along with other players in the oil and gas industry is said to have been quizzed at the weekend by officials of the State Security Service (SSS) on the matter.
Though Ladan had in a meeting with NNPC staffers on Monday assured that he was not on a sack mission, it was gathered that certain top officials of the corporation who have been fingered to be involved in the said illegal deals and may be shown the way out ahead of their possible inclusion in investigation list.
Meanwhile the Senate has said it will still summon and investigate Barkindo and the other NNPC officials despite the investigation by other relevant authorities.
The officials are being accused of involvement in illegal deals concerning crude oil sales and remittances into the Federation Account or other accounts during the time Barkindo was in charge of NNPC.
They are also being accused of involvement in shady deals in the areas of procurements, payments and award of contracts without following due process.
Already Senate has scheduled for debate next week a motion seeking it to empower its Committee on Petroleum to summon Barkindo and other NNPC officials and commence its independent investigation on the matter.
The committee may also summon former Petroleum Minister Dr. Rulwanu Lukman over the matter.
13 Senators including principal officers of the Senate have already signed in favour of the motion.
The motion came on the backdrop of Barkindo's refusal to furnish the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) certain documents on the revenue and expenditure profile of the corporation while he was in charge.
The motion seeks the Senate to allow investigation into the profile of all revenues from all sources accruing to and paid to NNPC including all income statements within the period under review.
Investigation is also sought on all monies paid the corporation as well as all internal approvals and intra corporation expenditure and audited accounts of the corporation for the period.
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