The Mayor of Urhoboland and notable ex-militant leader, Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro, has described as a joke taken too far the purported arrest warrant issued by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Petition on the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, the CBN governor, Yemi Cardoso and other heads of federal agencies who allegedly did not honour invitations by the Uzo Azubike-led committee.
Mayor Akpodoro in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbass, Uzo Azubuike both of whom he described as orchestra of the ill fated move to embarrass selected members of executive arms of the government should rather be arrested and prosecuted for allegedly collecting jeeps they did not work for at the detriment of national good.
Akpodoro said such a deft move by lawmakers to hoodwink and armtwist heads of notable agencies at a time the president just presented the national budget is not news anymore saying Nigerians are aware of budget padding and settlement by heads of ministries and parastatals while lawmakers hound uncompromising heads of agencies with arrest warrant to coerce them into compromise.
The NNPCL GCEO, Akpodoro noted has not committed any offence perhaps his refusal to bend for usurious demands by the lawmakers may have triggered the lawmakers to turn their arsenals of intimidation against the NNPCL boss adding that, Kyari has demonstrated unwavering excellence, savvy and unrivalled prowess in the management of the Nigerian oil industry.
He described the Azubuike committee as reckless and lacking the moral rectitude to issue arrest warrant against those he said are actually steering the ship of state safely and progressively for betterment of all while lawmakers sit in their chambers seeking to witch-hunt with arrest warrant.
He called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to go after those he said were welcomed into the national assembly with “unmerited gift of jeeps” while Nigerians moan from the pains of the current national economic realities which has seen the living standard of the citizens plummet on daily basis.
Mayor Akpodoro described members of the 10th Assembly as insensitive to the plight of the citizens and therefore do not have the moral justification to issue arrest warrant on any Nigerian – big or small.
Kyari, according to him, has proven to be an impeccable character astute in integrity, reasons he said, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration found him worthy of tenure extension which he honourably accorded him recently.
“Abbass and his fellow lawmakers should beam searchlight on themselves and leave well-meaning citizens who are in the theatre of building a new nation for all Nigerians out of their mischief.
“Surrender yourselves to the police for investigation on why you think you deserve gift of jeeps you did not work for,” the vociferous Gberegolor, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State-born Mayor stated.
