Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised objections to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to handle crude oil sales previously managed by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
According to Daily Post, Atiku deems the move illegal and has expressed frustration over the government’s failure to disclose details of this decision to the public.
He argues that Tinubu’s directive violates the legal status of the NNPCL and could potentially undermine its operational independence.
In a statement, Atiku criticised the arbitrary nature of the order and highlighted concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the decision.
The directive, according to Atiku, poses a risk to the operational autonomy of the NNPCL, a critical entity in Nigeria’s oil sector.
The PDP chieftain called for more clarity on the government’s reasoning behind the move and emphasised the need for adherence to legal protocols.
Part of Atiku’s statement reads,
“According to what is publicly available, the President (Tinubu) has issued a directive that henceforth, the NNPCL would submit receipts for crude oil sales to CBN for vetting and documentation.
“Whatever may be the merit of the new arrangement, the presidential directive is a violation of the legal status of the NNPCL.
It is an arbitrary order capable of undermining the operational independence of the NNPCL.”