Press release by the Nigeria opposition A P C

The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has pledged that its party will ensure that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) regularly publishes its balance sheet just like any other agency of government. 
The account of the NNPC, which is the state oil corporation through which the federal government regulates and participates in the country’s petroleum industry, has been shrouded in secrecy for many years.
Speaking during the Nigerian Political Parties Discussion Series (NPPDS) debate series organized by Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Mohammed stressed that the APC-led government would unbundle the NNPC.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was represented at the debate by one of its chieftains, Dr Katch Onanuju. The debate was organized for both APC and PDP. 
The second debate, which was also moderated by Mr. Mac Imoni Amarere, focused on “Natural Resource Governance: Oil and Gas Sector”.
“NNPC is too powerful and self-regulatory. There is no way the NNPC can regulate itself. It should concentrate on operation. Others should be allowed to do the regulation job because our institutions are very weak. Also, the Minister of Petroleum is too powerful no matter who is there. We will break that. Now, the NNPC is both regulator and operator. Because there is so much interest in that industry, they don’t want reforms. That is the reason why the country needs somebody with strong political will. 
“But government is reluctant to keep off from oil industry because the entire political structure is fueled by corruption in this industry. Some people have cornered this industry. We must move it away. It must operate and show its balance sheet. What we have to do is to develop the industry,” the APC spokesperson said.
He noted that the government was mixing the commercial and operational issues in the oil and gas industry together, promising that within 12 months of an APC-led government, the party would implement good reforms in the oil and gas industry and review the power of the Minister of Petroleum. 
“In Nigeria, it is difficult to make political parties and government accountable for their deeds. The hallmark of democracy is to show a government that is not performing a red card. After the 12 months, if we fail to perform, Nigerians can show us the red cards at the next general elections,” he further stated. 
The APC spokesperson also explained that his party would discourage immunity protection by encouraging its “elected officials to put aside their immunity even for the sake of their names”.
Also speaking, the PDP representatives Dr Onanuju voiced the PDP’s commitment to ensure the reform of the oil and gas industry through the PIB which he said had emphasized the need to unbundle the NNPC.
In her opening remark, the Director of CDD, Idayat Hassan, believed that the current challenge in the oil and gas industry required transparency and accountability, adding that political parties that wanted to govern the country must highlight their plans for the industry in view of the falling oil prices in the global market.