This is just as the Senate said it was not in support of some comments attributed to Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who described the NNPCL as a “bunch of criminals and thieves” during the committee’s hearing.
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The Senate Committee on Public Accounts had on Wednesday ordered for the arrest of immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer ( GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL), Mele Kyari for refusing to appear before it over unaccounted N210trillion from 2017 to 2023.
This was issued in Abuja during an Investigative hearing by the Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, Gombe North Senate Committee on Public Accounts.
Warrant of arrest issued against Kyari arose from his physical absence at the investigative session conducted by the committee on the alleged unaccounted N210trillion.
On Thursday, the matter was raised on the floor of the Senate by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central through a point of order relying on Orders 41 and 51 of the senate standing rules.
In his presentation, Bamidele asked the Senate to reaffirm that, pursuant to Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the authority to issue a warrant compelling the attendance of any witness before the Senate or any of its committees is vested exclusively in the Senate President.
He argued that no committee has the authority to independently issue, authorise or execute a warrant of arrest.
Meanwhile, Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, while defending himself, said he was provoked to make the remarks and that he did so to defend the integrity of the Senate.
