The ad hoc committee of the house of representatives investigating the alleged crude oil swap contracts has threatened to take “appropriate actions” against Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum resources, for failing to honour its invitation.
The committee also expressed reservations over the absence of Haruna Momoh, a former managing director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).
While Momoh, who claimed to be ill, sent his younger brother to represent him, no one stood in for Alison-Madueke.
Zakari Mohammed, chairman of the committee, described their absence as an affront.
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“It is unfortunate that they turned down our invitation. Anyone who knows them should tell them they are daring the parliament,” he said.
“We have taken note and we are going to take appropriate action.”
The lawmakers invited them after Austin Oniwon, Joseph Dawah, and Andrew Yakubu, three former group managing directors (GMD) of the NNPC, revealed that Alison-Madueke allegedly approved lifting of oil worth $24billion without signing any valid agreements.
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Duke Oil and Trafigura were the firms that lifted the crude between 2011 and 2014.
The lawmakers had requested Alison-Madueke to appear with all relevant documents that will assist in its investigation.
Some of the documents she was asked to produce were: a full brief on all swap arrangements, a proof of federal executive council (FEC) approval, NNPC board resolution on the contract, evidence of the approval limit of the board, that of the minister of petroleum, and the NNPC GMD.
The lawmakers also asked the former minister to bring any other relevant documents that could assist the committee and the proof to extend a contract that had expired and not yet renewed.
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Diezani is currently in the United Kingdom, where she is reportedly undergoing treatment for cancer.
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