Oshiomhole claims Akpabio’s daughter got NNPC job unfairly

Edo North senator Adams Oshiomhole has claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s daughter got a job at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) without following the usual recruitment process.

Mr Oshiomhole made this claim during an interview on Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.

The former Edo governor spoke while defending his actions during the Senate Committee on Public Accounts’ investigation into alleged issues with NNPC Ltd’s financial records. This investigation also involves a proposed arrest warrant for former NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.

In the interview, Mr Oshiomhole said that many powerful Nigerians, including lawmakers, have relatives working at NNPC.

"Myself inclusive. The second is my response to the former chief financial controller of NNPC, whose tenure the investigation covers, who pointedly said to the committee that it is you people. And now I know that the Senate President said his daughter was taken by Mr Kyari and put in, well, as Nigerians we say, in a juicy position that he probably didn’t merit."

He continued, "They all have employed their children, their uncles, their cousins, and their in-laws in various aspects of NNPC and put them in different positions. If they carry out the payroll of NNPC, you will find that they’ve turned the top level to a family business."

Mr Oshiomhole said that hiring relatives is not wrong if the proper process is followed.

"You can only make an issue if you give them a job they did not merit, they are not qualified for, and you didn’t follow the right procedure."

He added, "Well, somebody told me that the Senate president’s daughter was taken without, not through a regular interview, not through the normal, but that is his own problem."

Mr Oshiomhole did not provide any proof to back up his claims.

These comments come as NNPC faces more scrutiny due to the Senate Public Accounts Committee’s investigation into a reported ₦210 trillion discrepancy flagged in reports by the Auditor-General of the Federation from 2017 to 2023.

Last week, the committee even threatened to recommend an arrest warrant against Mr Kyari after he did not show up for several invitations.

But later, the Senate distanced itself from this move. They said that only the Senate president can approve such a warrant and told committees not to make similar threats without approval.

During the investigation, Mr Oshiomhole also called NNPC officials a "bunch of criminals and thieves." The Senate later separated itself from those comments.

Both Oshiomhole and Akpabio belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

When asked for a response, Mr Akpabio’s spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, told PREMIUM TIMES that according to the rule of law, the person making an allegation must provide proof.

"But for the benefit of doubt and in the interest of your inquiry, none of Senator Akpabio’s children work in NNPC Ltd or its subsidiaries," he said.