The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has demanded the removal of Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran as the Group Executive Director, Commercial & Investment of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). “Dr. Adeniran ought to have declined the appointment on ground of conflict of interests,” CSNAC said in a petition to President Muammadu Buhari.

The group said in the petition dated 7th September, 2015 and signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju:

“As the Senior Technical Adviser on Oil and Gas Commercial of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd for over 22 years Dr. Adeniran has fundamental disagreements with NNPC over the interpretation of the AK1 Carry agreement. The dispute which arose over the agreement is currently pending before a panel of arbitrators. Dr. Adeniran had recently given damning evidence against the NNPC before the Arbitrators.

“On the 30th day of June 2015 Dr. Adeniran deposed to a witness statement on behalf of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd., where he attacked the interests of the NNPC. It is the case of the NNPC that at the time the Agreement was legally terminated about $91 million Carry Capital Cost was outstanding. The NNPC proceeded to show how Total E & P had fully recovered the outstanding carry cost by December 2010 through tax relief contrary to the evidence of Dr. Adeniran.

“By giving evidence in favour of Total E & P Nigeria Ltd., which is at variance with the interest of the NNPC, Dr. Adeniran has placed himself in a position whereby his official position is in serious conflict with his private interest as a former employee of the opponent of NNPC in a pending litigation. Since the matter has not been determined by the arbitrators there is likelihood that Dr. Victor Adeniran will use his newly acquired position in the NNPC to ensure that the case is compromised and won by his former employers, Total E & P Nigeria Ltd.

“Indeed, in his witness statement for Total E & P Nigeria Ltd, dated and signed on June 30, 2015 Dr. Adeniran claimed that his address is ‘Plot 247, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja’, the head office of the NNPC. It is the height of abuse of office on the part of Dr, Adeniran to use the address of a public institution to serve his personal interets. In any case, why did Dr. Adeniran use the address of the NNPC before the announcement of his appointment as a top official of the NNPC?

“In view of the foregoing, we urge your Excellency to remove Dr. Victor Adeniran as an official of the NNPC on ground of conflict of interests which has been prohibited by virtue of Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides as follows:

“ ‘A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’ ”

•Photo shows Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran.

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