Oscarline Onwuemenyi
25 October 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee investigating the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, has said the committee is not under pressure from the Presidency or other quarters as being rumoured.
This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bashir Rabe Mani, and issued to newsmen on Wednesday.
The statement said that Senator Wamakko disclosed this at the Senate in Abuja on Tuesday, during the inauguration of the Committee.
Wamakko, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, said, “Let me dispel the rumours going round that, the committee is under intense pressure either from the Presidency or elsewhere.
“The fact is that, we are not under any pressure from anyone, let alone from the Presidency. I am sure that those of us who know President Muhammadu Buhari are quite sure that, he will never interfere in such matters.”
The statement further quoted Senator Wamakko as saying that, the Committee could not hold its inaugural meeting last week due to the absence of Chairmen of three Committees that deal with oil/NNPC.
He added, “They were out of the country to Russia with the Senate President and they are crucial members of the ad hoc Committee.”
Senator Wamakko also commended the Senate leadership for finding them worthy of the very important assignment that had already generated interest from millions of Nigerians.