morgaNABLE politics/Governance
The audit report also reportedly flagged N83.66bn allegedly warehoused from miscellaneous revenue in a sinking fund account, as well as N82.95bn in alleged unauthorised deductions from Federation revenue.
KaNo—
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has summoned officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Independent National Electoral Commission over alleged financial infractions totalling more than N802.19bn, as part of an ongoing probe into audit queries raised by the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The committee is expected to question the agencies on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, following preliminary hearings scheduled for Monday involving several other government institutions.
The allegations are contained in the Auditor-General’s reports for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 financial years, which flagged multiple issues relating to procurement processes, revenue management, payments and compliance with financial regulations across various public institutions.
Chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam, who represents Ede North/Ede South/Ejigbo/Egbedore Federal Constituency of Osun State, is leading the probe under the committee’s constitutional mandate to examine public accounts and investigate financial irregularities.
The committee derives its powers from Sections 85, 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Order 20, Rule 6 of the House of Representatives Standing Orders, which empower it to scrutinise government spending and ensure accountability in the management of public funds.
A member of the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the probe would focus on audit queries involving both agencies across multiple years.
“As a matter of fact, we are starting on Monday with some agencies, but Tuesday is significant because we expect to have accounting officers and subject matter experts from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Independent National Electoral Commission before the committee,” the lawmaker said.
According to him, the Auditor-General’s reports raised concerns over alleged financial infractions amounting to about N514bn against the NNPCL, while queries involving INEC total approximately N288.19bn.
Findings by Punch News showed that the N514bn queried against the NNPCL includes alleged irregular deductions of N343.64bn from domestic crude oil sales, a development that has raised concerns over transparency in the management of petroleum revenues.
The audit report also reportedly flagged N83.66bn allegedly warehoused from miscellaneous revenue in a sinking fund account, as well as N82.95bn in alleged unauthorised deductions from Federation revenue.
In addition, a sum of N3.75bn was identified as a shortfall arising from the sale of petroleum products, further compounding concerns over revenue leakages in the oil and gas sector.
The committee is expected to demand detailed explanations from the NNPCL, including supporting documents to justify the transactions and clarify the issues raised in the audit reports.
On its part, the Independent National Electoral Commission is expected to respond to queries relating to procurement procedures, contractor payments and the remittance of statutory deductions.
The lawmaker disclosed that some of the audit issues involving INEC date back to the tenure of former Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who has since been appointed an ambassador.
“There are several audit queries concerning procurement procedures, payments made to contractors as well as failure to remit statutory deductions by the commission during the administration of the former INEC Chairman,” he said.
Although he declined to provide full details of the alleged infractions, he noted that the queries covered financial activities linked to past electoral cycles, including the 2019 general election.
One of the issues highlighted in the Auditor-General’s 2022 report involved the alleged payment of more than N5.31bn for the supply of smart card readers without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The smart card readers were deployed by INEC during the 2019 elections as part of efforts to enhance the credibility of the voting process, before the commission later introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for the 2023 polls.
The Public Accounts Committee emphasised that the ongoing hearings are part of its constitutional responsibility to review the findings of the Auditor-General and ensure that public institutions account for their financial activities.
It also noted that audit queries do not automatically imply wrongdoing, as affected agencies are given the opportunity to provide explanations and supporting evidence before any conclusions are reached.
“The essence of this exercise is accountability. Agencies are expected to respond to the issues raised and provide clarifications where necessary,” the lawmaker added.
Other agencies scheduled to appear before the committee on Tuesday include the National Mathematical Centre, National Power Training Centre, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology and the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, among others.
The probe comes amid heightened scrutiny of public finances and growing calls for transparency in the management of government revenue and expenditure.
Meanwhile, the Senate has ruled out any immediate amendment to the Electoral Act 2026, despite recent judicial developments and concerns raised by political stakeholders.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly would not revisit the law at this stage, noting that the electoral framework had already been finalised ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We have already done the electoral reform and passed that one. It is meant for the 2027 elections. It is only after it that we can consider a review if there is any necessity,” Adaramodu said in an interview.
He argued that altering the law midway into the electoral process would create confusion and undermine preparations for the polls.
“As you know, it is through the Electoral Act that parties produced the candidates who will contest. Are you now going to shift the goalposts in the middle of the game?” he asked.
The Senate’s position follows a recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which restored key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to political party membership registers and candidate nomination processes.
In a unanimous decision, the seven-member panel of the apex court set aside an earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal that had voided the provisions, holding that they were not inconsistent with the Constitution.
As lawmakers continue to examine audit reports and electoral frameworks, analysts say the outcomes of these processes will play a critical role in strengthening accountability and institutional integrity in the country.
