How social media forced NNPC, NASS to cancel dinner

Public opinion and criticism on Tuesday compelled the members of the National Assembly to turn down the invitation to a dinner that the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru had extended to them.

The “special dinner”, which was scheduled to hold at 7.00pm in Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, was eventually cancelled.

The invitation card which however went viral on the social media as from mid-day yesterday provoked negative reactions raising questions about the propriety of the NNPC boss who is under investigation concerning the memo that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari. 

A source in the National Assembly who pleaded anonymity yesterday said that “the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) had to reject the invitation because of  the negative reactions it was generating in the social media.”

Our Abuja correspondent, who went to confirm from the venue at 6:00pm met the Congress Hall locked and without sign of preparation for any dinner.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, who confirmed the circulation of the invitation card, told The Nation that the aborted dinner was part of the ongoing stakeholders’ engagement that the corporation commenced since March this year.

He noted that NNPC called off the dinner which coincided with Buhari’s the dinner for the National Assembly members .

His words: “You know  we have been having stakeholders’ engagement since March. We invited you to Nicon Luxury, isn’t it ? We started in March with publishers in Abuja which was well attended. 

“And it was to be followed by that of the National Assembly : House of Reps and Senate. And to be followed by correspondents in Abuja which was held in Nicon Luxury. But members of the National Assembly Petroleum Committee, both chambers said the were going on recess it wasn’t convenient for them. 

“Which date was convenient, they said ok let’s put it in May. In May, GMD was bereaved, he lost three of his relatives. We moved it to Salah period, Salah period, they said they were going in recess. 

“This time around, they chose October 31, (today). But unfortunately, the President will be engaging them to a dinner. So, they said they will be going to that of the President.   

“So for somebody to wake to say it is for probe or no probe, only God knows that it would have been done since March.”

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