NEWS
Audit Query: NNPC GMD, 17 Subsidiaries fail again to appear Before Reps C’tte ***C’tte Accuses MTN of Tax Evasion
By John Akubo
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company, (NNPC) limited and its 17 subsidiaries for the umpteenth time failed to appear before the Public Account Committee of the House Representatives to answer to multiple audit queries raised against them by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation
The committee is investigating NNPC limited, the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) alongside telecommunication firm, MTN based on the annual audit report of the Auditor General of the Federation, (AGoF) between 2014-2019 financial year and non rendition of audited account by NNPC subsidiaries covering the same period
The NNPC Management had pleaded with the Committee two weeks ago to issue fresh summons on the 17 subsidiaries through the Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari.
This followed the observation of the Committee that the GMD might have been shielding them from honouring several summons issued to them with total assurance that the GMD would produce them before the Committee
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However, At the resumed hearing of the Committee sitting on Wednesday, the NNPC in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Busayo Oluwole Oke (Osun- PDP) the Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari stated that he was engaged in a function on theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta, hence his unavailability
The Committee therefore, ceded to his request for an extension of time and fixed 29th April when Kyari would appear in person with the relevant documents for the investigation
The committee was however, frowned at MTN’s unwillingness to cooperate by tendering requested documents that would ease the findings of the lawmakers.
The Chairman of the committee described the attitude of the telecom firm as ‘disrespectful to the parliament” especially that the company replied parliament’s invitation letter to the MD through an Executive Director, MD
Besides, the lawmakers lamented the abuse of fiscal regulations by individuals and companies doing business in the country as most of them were found to be evading taxes
The General Manager, (GM) financial operations of MTN Yemisi Adeleye who appeared before the lawmakers failed to tender a certificate of assets status of the company, issued her organization by the ministry of trade and investment
The certificate was expected to contain the assets of the company which would determine how much tax was expected of them.
Since incorporation in 2001, the GM said that MTN had invested more than N3.4 trillion into the Nigerian economy and had paid more than N2.5 trillion in taxes, levies and other regulatory fees as at December 2021 including N669 billion in 2021 alone
The Committee directed the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to furnish it with all MTN import duty documents as well as other relevant tax documents to ascertain if waivers were given legally or wrongly to the telecom firm
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly.
The announcement came during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday amid heightened political tension in the oil-rich South-South state.
Tinubu said the suspension would last for an initial period of six months.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from July 2015 to January 2021, will take charge of the state’s affairs.
Tinubu clarified that the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to function as mandated by the constitution.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state,” Tinubu added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, citing undisclosed reasons for the decision.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Accuses Fubara, Deputy Of Gross Misconduct
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
The suspension comes amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.
More updates to follow…
In what political watchers perceive as part of efforts to discomfit and scatter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the feeling that its National Working Committee (NWC) antagonises him, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the rights to occupy the land on which the party’s national secretariat, Abuja is sited.
Biztelers reports that Wike’s revocation notice was conveyed in a letter released in Abuja on Tuesday, dated March 13, 2025.
The letter was titled, “Notice of right of occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in respect of plot no: 243 within central area district, Abuja.”
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The letter was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
Wike, it was gathered predicated his action on the PDP’s failure to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025.
The negligence on the part of the opposition party, the letter claimed was despite many publications in several national dailies and electronic media to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on its property.
The letter read, “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from Ist of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allottees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.
“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
There are palpable fears that the PDP’s national secretariat might be demolished or vandalised, sooner than later because Wike added that the FCTA administration would take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills are settled.
Tinubu Appoints Vice Admiral Ibas As Rivers Administrator
JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
JUST IN: Wike Renders PDP Homeless In Abuja
Explosion Hits Trans-Niger Oil Pipeline In Rivers
Osun Issues Guidelines For Tractor Operations
