By Abubakar Yunusa Ojima-Ojo
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts due to a sudden presidential invitation, according to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the National Oil Company, Dapo Segun.
Ojulari’s absence—his fourth—in connection with ongoing investigations into queries raised against the NNPCL in audit reports from 2017 to 2023, angered members of the committee.
Consequently, they resolved that Engineer Ojulari must appear without fail on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. prompt.
The committee, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wadada Ahmed (Nasarawa West), had previously sent three invitations to Ojulari to explain the N210 trillion allegedly unaccounted for between 2017 and 2023. A fourth invitation was extended to him penultimate Thursday.
At Tuesday’s sitting, when the chairman asked the committee clerk, Mohammed Abdullahi, whether the GCEO was present, the clerk responded that Ojulari had sent a letter explaining his absence.
In the letter dated July 22, 2025, and read by the clerk, Ojulari stated that an urgent invitation from President Bola Tinubu at about 1:00 p.m. had prevented him from honoring the committee’s summons.
However, given that this was the fourth time Ojulari failed to appear, committee members, in separate remarks, expressed skepticism about the genuineness of his excuse.
Specifically, Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) remarked that while a presidential call may soften his stance, using President Tinubu as an excuse should not become a recurring justification for avoiding the committee.
Senator Joel Thomas Onowakpo (Delta South) accused Ojulari of not prioritizing the committee’s invitation.
“To me, the NNPCL boss thinks he is bigger than this committee. We don’t need a soothsayer to tell us that he will never honor our invitation unless we invoke our powers to compel him,” he said.
Similarly, Senator Aminu Abbas (Adamawa Central) described Ojulari’s repeated absence as disrespectful to the committee, stating that no GCEO is above the National Assembly.
“For failing to honor this committee’s invitation four times, he must be ordered to appear tomorrow (Wednesday) without fail,” he insisted.
Accordingly, the committee, through its chairman, resolved that Ojulari must appear on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. or risk a warrant of arrest being issued against him.
