Coalition tasks Tinubu, NASS on due process in award of pre-shipment, oil and gas contracts

Transparency Alliance Network has enjoined President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to ensure strict adherence to due process in the award of contracts, especially in the pre-shipment of oil and gas.

National coordinator of the pro-public accountability group, Zakary Musa Zubairu in a statement in Abuja, on Thursday, drew the President’s attention to what he described as the antics of those bent on subverting the already concluded bidding process.

According to him, contracts for the engagement of consultants for the Pre-Shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs) and Monitoring/Evaluation Agents (MEAs) under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) in the Oil and Gas sector have since been concluded but saboteurs within the system were replacing the names of successful companies with their preferred companies.

The CSO maintained that its resolve to speak against the breach of due process on the matter was in the best interest of the nation.

The statement read in part, “We have credible and irrefutable evidence that some persons especially in the Office of the Chief of Staff have hijacked an already concluded bidding process for the engagement of consultants for PIAs and MEAs, with an approval letter duly signed and issued by President Muhammadu Buhari referenced PRES/87/MF/314 to 8 companies and replaced them with their companies with no experience and expertise in the Oil and Gas sector.

“…Of all the Companies that won the bid based on their track record of experience and expertise, only Patibon Services Limited and Candid Oil Limited that made the list finally released on the 25th of October 2023 vide a letter with reference PRES/87/MF/8. “

The group also taunted the cabal and those defending it as well as trying to downplay a clear case of policy reversal to explain why an approval issued on the 15th of May 2023 was not implemented until the 25th of October 2023.

It also chided those paid to defend corruption to explain why Nigerians lost over $160 million to Pre-Shipment Inspection failures if not because of their penchant to derail and delay the process until such a time as it’ll be convenient for them to commit their fraud.

“For those still in doubt about the corruption regarding the PIAs and MEAs consultant’s engagement, the resolve of the House of Representatives to investigate alleged abuse, breach, and violation of the Public Procurement Act in the engagement of consultants for pre-shipment inspection and monitoring of crude oil and gas exports from Nigeria which led to the loss of $160 million has vindicated us.

“No amount of blackmail and arm-twisting will silence us until the right thing is done. Our prayer is that the House of Representatives will act swiftly to forestall the loss of billions of dollars with the kind collaboration and support of Mr. President.”