Group Wants Buhari To Remove Newly Appointed NNPC Director

The Civil Society Network Against Corruption has demanded the removal of Babatunde Adeniran, the newly appointed group executive director, commercial and investment, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, over a perceived clash of interests.

In ‎a petition dated September 7th, the group said that Mr. Adeniran ought to have declined the appointment.

Mr. Adeniran was among the four NNPC Group Executive Directors appointed ‎last month to man the four new Directorates approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“As the Senior Technical Adviser on Oil and Gas Commercial of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd for over 22 years, Dr. Adeniran has fundamental disagreements with NNPC over the interpretation of the AK1 Carry agreement,” CSNAC, a coalition of anti-corruption organizations, said in the petition signed Olanrewaju Suraju, its Chairman.

“The dispute which arose over the agreement is currently pending before a panel of arbitrators. Dr. Victor Adeniran had recently given damning evidence against the NNPC before the Arbitrators.”

On June 30th this year, Mr. Adeniran, according to CSNAC, deposed to a witness statement on behalf of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd. where he attacked the interests of the NNPC.

“It is the case of the NNPC that at the time the Agreement was legally terminated, about $91 million Carry Capital Cost was outstanding,” said Mr. Suraju.

“The NNPC proceeded to show how Total E & P had fully recovered the outstanding carry cost by December 2010 through tax relief contrary to the evidence of Dr. Adeniran.

“By giving evidence in favour of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd. which is at variance with the interest of the NNPC, Dr. Adeniran has placed himself in a position whereby his official position is in serious conflict with his private interest as a former employee of the opponent of NNPC in a pending litigation.

“Since the matter has not been determined by the arbitrators there is likelihood that Dr. Victor Adeniran will use his newly acquired position in the NNPC to ensure that the case is compromised and won by his former employers, Total E & P Nigeria Ltd.”

Mr. Suraju also stated that Mr. Adeniran had deposed in his witness statement that his office was situated at ‘Plot 247, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja,’ the head office of the NNPC.

“It is the height of abuse of office on the part of Dr. Adeniran to use the address of a public institution to serve his personal interets. In any case, why did Dr. Adeniran use the address of the NNPC before the announcement of his appointment as a top official of the NNPC?”

“In view of the foregoing, we urge your Excellency to remove Dr. Victor Adeniran as an official of the NNPC on ground of conflict of interests which has been prohibited by virtue of Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides as follows:

“A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.'”

NAWAH!