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The Energy Transparency Initiative (ETI) has disowned a statement credited to some individuals claiming to be its representatives, criticising Hon. Philip Agbese, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Federal House of Representatives.
The groupâs President and Secretary, Francis Nedu and Ismaila Bello, respectively, in a joint statement, revealed that the said persons were expelled long ago due to alleged fraudulent activities and other abuses that contravened the groupâs objectives.
âWe are shocked and dismayed that these individuals would continue to impersonate ETI and make statements that do not reflect our values and mission,â the statement read.
âTheir actions are a clear attempt to blackmail and extort money from innocent parties, and we condemn their behaviour in the strongest terms.
âThe leadership of ETI is aware that some government agencies have released as huge as $500,000 to the impostors to blackmail Hon. Philip Agbese and other National Assembly members who want sanity in the oil and gas sector,â they added.
The statement expressed support for Hon. Agbeseâs claims of alleged deliberate attempts by the Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to discredit Dangote Refinery company.
The group said Agbese demonstrated exceptional leadership and courage in âexposing the truthâ and applauded his efforts to protect Nigerian entrepreneurs and promote indigenous businesses.
âAgbeseâs dedication to serving the people and upholding the principles of fairness and transparency is exemplary,â the statement added.
âHe has shown that he is a true representative of the people, and his actions have earned him the respect and admiration of many. We are proud to support him and stand by him in this matter.
âNNPCL and NMDPRA have shown a clear bias towards International Oil Companies (IOCs) and have consistently frustrated the efforts of Nigerian entrepreneurs.
âTheir actions are a disservice to the nation and undermine the governmentâs efforts to promote indigenous businesses.â
The ETI, therefore, expressed support for the House of Repsâ call for the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, to resign.
âAgbeseâs reiteration of the Houseâs earlier call for the NMDPRA boss to be sacked is the position of many Nigerians who mean well for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,â the statement said.
âWe believe that the dismissal of the NNPC Group CEO Mele Kyari is long overdue as well. The ETI calls on President Tinubu to take immediate action to address this issue and ensure that these regulatory agencies serve the interests of the nation, not just a select few.â
ETI, however, said that it had taken legal action against the imposters and already involved law enforcement agencies to ensure that they were brought to justice.
âWe will not tolerate any attempts to impersonate our organization or make false statements that damage our reputation,â the statement noted.
âWe urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant and uphold the principles of fairness and transparency. We will continue to monitor developments and ensure that all actions and policies are aligned with the national interest, free from undue influence or partisan agendas.â