The Tinubu Media Ambassadors (TMA) has accused the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Downstream Petroleum, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, of politicising the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.

The group, according to a report in The Nation, urged the lawmaker to distinguish his political activities from his responsibilities as chairman of a House committee and allow the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to continue with the rehabilitation programme.

TMA President Mustapha Mohammed made the remarks in a statement on Sunday in response to concerns raised by Ugochinyere over the NNPC’s handling of information relating to the rehabilitation, revival and operations of the country’s refineries.

Ugochinyere had said the House committee was yet to receive what he considered adequate information from the NNPC on the rehabilitation programme.

According to the lawmaker, the committee had written to NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and the company’s executive vice-president responsible for the downstream sector, requesting relevant documents and briefings.

He also warned that the committee could exercise its constitutional and parliamentary powers if the requested information was not provided.

Reacting to the development, Mohammed said the NNPC was implementing a Federal Government policy aimed at restoring the state-owned refineries and had not violated any legislation passed by the National Assembly or its committees.

“Ugochinyere and his sponsors should allow the refineries to be fixed. The NNPCL (sic) is executing a deliberate federal government policy to revive the refineries, and there has been no breach of any legislation by the National Assembly or any of its committees,” Mohammed said.

He argued that the focus should be on the implementation of the rehabilitation programme rather than what he described as unnecessary controversy.

Mohammed also questioned Ugochinyere’s previous position on the leadership of the NNPC under its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.

The TMA president alleged that Ugochinyere had previously expressed confidence in Kyari despite the prolonged inactivity of the country’s state-owned refineries.

He further accused political opponents of the Federal Government of attempting to use the refinery rehabilitation programme to undermine the administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, questions over the availability of information on the rehabilitation should not be used to create the impression that the government was not taking steps to restore domestic refining capacity.

Mohammed also referred to arguments over the future of the petrol subsidy, saying Nigerians should be cautious about attempts to turn petroleum sector reforms into campaign issues.

The TMA president said the rehabilitation programme should ultimately be assessed based on measurable progress and the performance of the refineries rather than political statements.

He nevertheless acknowledged the constitutional role of the National Assembly in scrutinising the activities of government agencies, but argued that such oversight should be exercised through established institutional channels.

The dispute comes amid continuing efforts by the Federal Government and the NNPC to restore Nigeria’s state-owned refining infrastructure, following years of limited or disrupted operations at the country’s government-owned refineries.

Ugochinyere’s committee is responsible for oversight of downstream petroleum matters in the House of Representatives, while the NNPC remains responsible for the operation and management of the federal government’s petroleum assets within its mandate.

The latest exchange reflects the wider political and institutional debate over the pace, cost and transparency of efforts to restore domestic refining capacity as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.

The Guardian has reached out to Rep. Ugochinyere for his take on the matter.