The Senate has suspended its scheduled investigative hearing on oil sabotage involving the NNPC, Dangote, and others, which was expected to take place on Tuesday.
This is coming even amidst public anger and dissatisfaction over the increase in the price of petrol, and its scarcity at retail outlets.
Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement on Sunday, announced the suspension of the Senate’s investigative hearing into alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry.
While Bamidele did not provide a specific reason for the sudden postponement, he stated that “the decision was made in the best interest of the federation and its teeming population.
He further explained that the postponement became imperative considering the compelling need “to consult more widely with expanded stakeholders within and without the petroleum industry and legislative exigency to further deepen due diligence in the conduct of the investigative hearing “
He also added; “the prevailing realities in the country that demanded urgent interventions of nearly all the stakeholders in the public and private sectors across 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory informed the resolve for the postponement.
“While we deeply regret all inconveniences it may have caused all the stakeholders collectively or individually, this decision was taken purely and solely in the national interest.”
The Senate further assured all the stakeholders that a new date for the public hearing would be communicated to them in due course.
Further check revealed that the ad-hoc committee had concluded its pre-investigation undertakings and held an interactive session with the heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as some private interests in the downstream and midstream petroleum sector, as reported by Tribune.
