By Mercy Aikoye
A group of at least 50 members of the House of Representatives, known as the Concerned Members of the 10th Assembly, held a press conference in Abuja on Thursday to address the ongoing protests and calls for the removal of top executives in the oil and gas sector.
The group, led by Hon. Chief (Dr.) Billy Osawaru, emphasized that the House had already mandated a joint committee to investigate the issues in the oil and gas sector, and that a final decision had not yet been reached.
They therefore considered calls for the removal of Mele Kyari, CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to be premature.
The lawmakers appealed for calm and urged Nigerians to bring an end to the ongoing protests, which were sparked by the hike in fuel prices and associated challenges. They commended the National Assembly’s efforts to address the situation and expressed confidence in the government’s ability to resolve the issues.
The group stated that it is essential to afford parties in investigation the right to a fair hearing, and that removing anyone while the investigation is still ongoing would be unjust.
They urged Nigerians to be patient and law-abiding, assuring them that everything would be alright with the government’s renewed hope agenda.
