Akpabio, Sen Wadada Clash Over Status of Port Harcourt Refinery Operations During Plenary

A heated exchange unfolded in the Senate on Tuesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada of Nasarawa West debated the operational status of the Port Harcourt refinery. The confrontation arose during discussions on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) recently announced the commencement of operations at the refinery. However, the announcement has sparked widespread skepticism, with critics, including industry insiders, questioning the refinery’s readiness for full operations.

During the plenary, Senator Wadada raised concerns over what he described as “technicalities in the operations of the Port Harcourt refinery.” He called for Senate intervention to ascertain the facts surrounding the refinery’s status. Senate President Akpabio responded by suggesting that Wadada should formally present his concerns as a motion during plenary rather than airing them as informal commentary, which Akpabio likened to a “social media presentation.”

This remark drew a sharp response from Wadada, who emphatically distanced himself from social media-related discourse. Expressing visible frustration, the Nasarawa Senator also criticized Akpabio for failing to act on a revenue tax-related document he had submitted three months earlier. In response, Akpabio assured Wadada that he had reviewed the document and reiterated the need for a formal motion to address the refinery issue.

To resolve the controversy, Akpabio announced plans to constitute an ad hoc committee during the Senate’s executive session. The committee will investigate the true status of the Port Harcourt refinery’s operations, and its findings will be deliberated upon in a future plenary session.