ADC demands full disclosure of N7.13trn NNPC energy security spending

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to disclose full details of the N7.13 trillion recorded as energy security expenditure in the company’s 2024 audited accounts.

The ADC said the scale of the expenditure required full transparency, including the identities of all beneficiaries, amounts paid, projects executed, outcomes achieved and any independent audit conducted on the spending.

The party, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, also raised concerns over what it described as a potential conflict of interest, noting that Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, whose company, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has been publicly identified as a major pipeline surveillance contractor, is also a prominent mobiliser for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

The ADC stressed that the government must assure Nigerians that public funds allocated for pipeline security are not being used to support partisan political activities.

The party said it was prompted by figures contained in NNPC Limited’s recently released 2024 audited financial statements.

According to the ADC, while pipeline surveillance contracts worth about N48 billion previously generated national debate, the latest audited accounts recorded N7.13 trillion under “Energy Security” for 2024, representing what it described as an increase of nearly 14,800 per cent.

It further stated that when other fuel-related costs and receivables reflected in the accounts are included, the amount rises to about N17.5 trillion.

“The figures raise questions that cannot be ignored,” the ADC said, adding that Nigerians deserve to know the reasons for the sharp increase and the value derived from the expenditure.

While acknowledging that safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure is a legitimate national priority, the ADC maintained that security-related spending should not be shielded from public scrutiny.

“The bigger the bill, the stronger the obligation to explain it,” it said.

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The party argued that the involvement of Tantita Security Services in pipeline surveillance contracts, alongside Tompolo’s role in mobilising support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, made transparency even more necessary.

It called on the federal government to disclose how much had been spent on pipeline surveillance and energy security since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the contractors that received the funds, amounts paid, results achieved and whether any independent value-for-money assessment had been conducted.

“These are ordinary questions that, in any democracy, should attract ordinary answers,” the party stated.

The ADC also noted that amid rising living costs, business closures and unemployment, Nigerians were entitled to know whether the huge expenditure had improved national security, boosted economic productivity or enhanced citizens’ welfare.

“If the answer is yes, the government should have no difficulty showing Nigerians the evidence,” it added.

The party urged Tinubu, the Board and Management of NNPC Limited, and the relevant committees of the National Assembly to immediately publish full details of the energy security expenditure.

“The question is no longer how much was spent. The question is what Nigeria has to show for it,” the ADC stated.