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Oando, Duke Oil Insist FG Approved Imported Dirty Fuel
The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), on Wednesday, continued with its investigation of the importation of adulterated petrol into Nigeria.
The committee grilled the remaining two of the four contractors engaged by the NNPC to supply the fuel.
Two of the suppliers, Oando and Duke Oil, while appearing before the committee at its investigative hearing in Abuja, denied culpability in the matter.
Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium and MRS Holdings had earlier appeared before the panel on Tuesday to also deny responsibility for the importation of the contaminated fuel.
The committee had last week grilled the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Melee Kyari; and the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, over the matter.
On Wednesday, the leader of the Oando team, Afanga Afanga, said the cargo supplied by the oil firm was tested and certified okay by the NNPC.
Afanga said, “It is important to note that this PMS cargo that was supplied met and was in line with all the Nigerian and the DSDP contractual specifications. This was confirmed by the mandatory tests that were conducted at the loading port in Europe and before discharge in Nigeria by an independent NNPC quality inspector and finally by agents of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority.
The Chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Gaya, while reacting, said, “We have not digested the documents but based on the summary you have given, I will allow members to ask questions. Then, in due course, we are going to invite you again to come and explain if there is a need for that, based on the documents that you brought.”
Also, the Managing Director, Duke Oil, Lawal Sade, said based on its subsisting contract with the NNPC, the engaged one of its registered counterpart and supplier, Sahara Energy Resources, and it was assigned a back-to-back contract for the supply of the Nigerian spec of PMS cargoes in an effort to fulfil the NNPC request.
Sade partly said, “Yes, there was a delivery of cargo by Duke Oil like you have seen in the report (submitted to the committee) and that cargo met up with the Nigerian spec, as it is both at the loading and discharge ports.
“There was a confirmation by the regulator, which is the new Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, to discharge that cargo within the stipulated date. The cargo was discharged and the vessel sailed.
In his submission, Gaya said, “We will go through the documents and if there is a need to call you, we will do that.”
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation, bringing an abrupt end to a premiership that began with Labour’s landslide general election victory in July 2024.
Starmer made the announcement in a statement outside 10 Downing Street, where he reflected on his time in office and defended his record in government.
“Every decision I have made has been about putting the country I love first,” Starmer said as he confirmed he would step down as both prime minister and leader of the governing Labour Party.
The resignation marks a dramatic political development in the United Kingdom, coming barely two years after Starmer led Labour back to power following more than a decade in opposition.
His departure is expected to trigger a swift leadership transition within the party at a time of heightened political uncertainty.
Addressing supporters gathered outside Downing Street, Starmer described entering No. 10 in 2024 as “the proudest moment” of his life, saying he entered politics with the goal of improving the lives of millions of people.
The outgoing prime minister also highlighted what he considered some of his key achievements, including rebuilding the Labour Party after years of internal divisions and restoring public confidence in the party’s economic and national security credentials.
Starmer said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” and faced repeated predictions that it was finished as a political force.
He argued that his leadership helped transform the party, including efforts to tackle anti-Semitism and reposition Labour as a credible alternative government.
His resignation has immediately intensified speculation over his successor. Attention has turned to Andy Burnham, who recently won the Makerfield by-election and is due to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament.
Political observers and Labour insiders believe Burnham could emerge as the overwhelming favourite to take over the party leadership. Some party members are already discussing the possibility of a “coronation” process in which Burnham becomes the sole candidate, avoiding a prolonged leadership contest.
If that scenario unfolds, Labour could have a new leader and prime minister in place by September, around the time of the party’s annual conference.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
