Senator Aliyu Wadada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, has attributed the financial discrepancies in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to failures by external auditors and company management, while noting that oversight authorities also bear responsibility.
The comments were made during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in response to questions regarding the accountability of parties involved in the auditing and regulation of NNPCL’s finances.
When asked whether the accounts under review were externally audited, Wadada confirmed, “So it is. That’s why we are also calling them external auditors.”
The interviewer then questioned who had failed Nigerians: the auditors, management, or regulators. “The auditors, first and foremost, because they prepared these books. And then the management as well, that accepted the books for what they are. And the regulators, who are the regulators of NNPC? Or the petroleum sector? Tell me,” Wadada replied.
The oversight role of the Ministry of Petroleum was acknowledged by the interviewer, to which Wadada added, “And nobody can wish away what the National Assembly had done over the period of oversight.”
When pressed on whether the President should be questioned directly regarding the issues, Wadada emphasized that such steps would be taken at the appropriate time. “When the time to ask the President comes? There are things I will not disclose here. Not yet, until we get to the bridge. But I stand bold to say that President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu really and truly means well for this country. Take it from me,” he said.