President Bola Tinubu's Chief Of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, May Finally Be Sacked; Lands In Fresh N54 Billion Oil And Gas Royalties Corruption Scandal; Leaked Damning Aso Rock Memo Emerges; Says He Was Merely Carrying Out The President's Instructions, Nothing More And Nothing Less
An emerging report published by Peoples Gazette, on Monday, alleged that President Bola Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, diverted billions of naira in Oil and Gas royalties from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, through what the newspaper described as a non-existent Legal provisions.
According to the report, weeks after President Tinubu assumed Office in 2023, Gbajabiamila allegedly began seeking for funds from several high-revenue Agencies, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (now the Nigeria Revenue Service), NRS, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.
The report claimed that the NUPRC was also targeted, alleging that Gbajabiamila drafted a memo requesting that 4 percent of the Commission's cost of collection be split into two components: 2.5 percent for operations and routine capital expenditure, and 1.5 percent for capital expenditure.
"Mr. President has directed that the Budget Office and the Accountant-General of the Federation implement the approval in paragraph 2(a) above and ring-fence the 1.5 percent, which may only be utilised for upgrading crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems upon obtaining relevant approvals", Mr. Gbajabiamila reportedly stated in a memo dated July 4, 2023.
According to the report, Gbajabiamila justified the directive by citing Section 24(2)(c) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2023.
"The authority to collect these fees is vested in Statute - Section 24(2)(c) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) (2023). However, the specific percentage collectable is subject to Presidential approval", the memo reportedly stated.
However, Peoples Gazette said that its review of the Law found that the cited section did not authorise the collection of tens of billions of naira.
"The source of the Commission Fund shall be as follows - (c) cost of collection by the Commission", Section 24(2) (c) of the PIA reportedly states.
The newspaper argued that the provision does not empower the Presidency or Chief of Staff to claim approximately ₦54 billion from the Commission's funds.
Responding to the report, the Presidency defended Gbajabiamila, saying that he merely carried out the President's directive and that the approval was lawful. It did not directly address the newspaper's claim regarding the cited Legal provision, maintaining instead, that there is no "smoking gun".
"Gbajabiamila did not commandeer any money.
"The Presidential order given to the NUPRC is within the right of Mr. President as President and Commander-in-Chief", Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, told Peoples Gazette.
The report further argued that Section 24(1) of the Petroleum Industry Act, places the Commission's funds under the appropriation of the National Assembly, stating: "The Commission shall maintain a fund into which money accruing to the Commission shall be paid, and all expenditures of the Commission shall be subject to appropriation by the National Assembly."
According to the newspaper, the Commission's cost of collection rose from ₦98 billion in 2022, to ₦145 billion, following President Tinubu's exchange-rate unification policy, adding that, whether the President's directive amounted to Constitutional overreach would ultimately be for the Courts to determine.
The report also recalled previously reported allegations made in 2022, that while serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila accepted $2 million in bribes, in connection with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. It noted that Gbajabiamila has denied wrongdoing.
Finally, the newspaper referenced the ongoing controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, where Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who identified himself as the Council's Director-General, accused Gbajabiamila of receiving ₦400 million through a proxy, and later demanded an additional ₦200 million to facilitate his appointment.
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