Senator Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio personally benefited from connections within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), claiming that Akpabio’s daughter was given a highly desirable job through the influence of former NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
Oshiomhole made the allegations during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by journalist Seun Okinbaloye, where he defended his position on ongoing Senate investigations into the NNPC and the decision to issue a bench warrant against Kyari.
The former Edo State governor said his earlier comments on the matter reflected his personal views and not an official position of the Senate. He also alleged that nepotism has become deeply rooted in the nation’s oil sector.
According to Oshiomhole, Akpabio’s daughter was reportedly recruited into a “juicy position” at NNPC through Kyari without going through the normal employment process.
“Myself inclusive. The second is my response to the former chief financial controller of NNPC, whose tenure the investigation covers, who pointedly said to the committee that it is you people. And now I know that the Senate President said his daughter was taken by Mele Kyari and put in a, well as Nigerians we say, in a juicy position that he probably didn’t merit,” Oshiomhole said.
He argued that the alleged favouritism is part of a wider culture within the company, claiming that both past and present NNPC leaders have used their influence to secure jobs for relatives.
“You guys have turned NNPC into a traditional institution where the son inherits the throne of the father,” he said.
“They have employed their children, uncles, cousins and in-laws into different positions. If you check the payroll, you will find that the top level has become a family business.”
Oshiomhole, however, said there was nothing wrong with children of public officials working in NNPC as long as they were qualified and employed through a transparent process.
“The issue is whether they got the job on merit and whether the right procedures were followed,” he said.
The senator also addressed the controversy surrounding the Senate Committee on Public Accounts’ decision to issue a bench warrant against Kyari, insisting that the action was backed by the Constitution.
He rejected claims that the Senate later distanced itself from the warrant, maintaining that committees have the authority to exercise powers delegated by the Senate.
“We have the right to issue a bench warrant,” Oshiomhole said, adding that previous Senates had exercised similar powers under the 1999 Constitution.
The lawmaker recently stirred controversy during a Senate committee hearing when he accused NNPC of having a reputation for fraud while supporting calls for Kyari’s arrest over allegations that trillions of naira could not be accounted for during his tenure.
During the hearing, Oshiomhole argued that powerful individuals must be held accountable and urged the committee to take immediate action.
“This country must have the courage to deploy its constitutional powers and issue a warrant today,” he said.
He maintained that serious allegations raised by auditors concerning unaccounted funds in the oil company deserved urgent investigation and accountability.
