Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has blasted President Bola Tinubu over his call for Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to account to Central Bank of Nigeria over crude oil sales.
The 2023 presidential flag bearer under the Peoples Democratic Party stated that it was a violation of the legal status of the NNPCL.
In a statement, Atiku stressed that the move was not explained to the public by the presidency.
Atiku on Thursday added that it undermines NNPCL’s operational independence.
The statement personally issued by the former vice president reads in part, “Without prejudice to the possibility of any good that was intended in the decision of the Federal Government to make the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) take over the responsibility for crude oil sales proceeds from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), it must be clearly stated that the action is not legal in its application.
“Although, as usual, of the current administration, little has been communicated to the public about explaining details of the decision.
“According to what is publicly available, the President has issued a directive that henceforth, the NNPCL would submit receipts for crude oil sales to CBN for vetting and documentation.
“Whatever may be the merit of the new arrangement, the presidential directive is a violation of the legal status of the NNPCL.”
