The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties has demanded that President Bola Tinubu follows up his sack of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, with a forensic audit of his time in office.

The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, James Ezema.

Mr Ezema said, “While it applauds the leadership change, simply replacing Mele Kyari is insufficient to address the root causes of the oil sector’s problems. The organisation has reiterated its long-standing demand for a thorough forensic audit of NNPCL’s operations during Kyari’s tenure. It emphasized that without such an investigation, the new management would inherit a foundation weakened by years of alleged financial irregularities, inefficiencies, and questionable practices.”

They also urged the president, “to authorise an independent forensic audit covering all aspects of NNPCL’s accounts, crude oil sales, and subsidy disbursements during Kyari’s tenure,” arguing that doing so “is crucial not only for understanding the extent of mismanagement but also for implementing reforms that will stabilize the oil.”

They hailed the president’s removal of Mr Kyari for Bayo Ojulari, describing the move as a vital step toward restoring accountability, efficiency, and transparency in the oil sector that has long been shrouded in allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

The group lamented Nigerians’ endurance of years of economic hardship fuelled by inefficiencies and alleged large-scale corruption by the company which exacerbated the country’s struggles, with high transportation costs, contributing to soaring food prices that have burdened millions of families.

It therefore stressed the need for urgent and radical reforms to end the suffering of Nigerians, calling on anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations, and the National Assembly to support its demand for justice, urging stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring accountability within the company.

It stated, “The oil sector cannot remain a black hole where billions of dollars disappear without accountability. Further actions, particularly a forensic audit, are indispensable in repositioning NNPCL and addressing the challenges that have plagued the sector for years.”