Minister offers 'no comment' on private Buhari meeting

Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu refused to speak to State House correspondents about his private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, October 6, 2017.

The minister was involved in a closed door meeting with the president to discuss the controversial letter that was leaked to the media three days ago.

He arrived at the Presidential Villa around 11:40am to discuss the contents of the letter where he made allegations against the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru.

While leaving the Presidential Villa around 12:50pm, the minister refused to answer questions about what was said behind closed doors, simply responding, "No comment."

In the letter leaked he wrote to the president, who is also the Minister of Petroleum, Kachikwu said he considered it important to call the attention of the president to his concerns about Baru because they're capable of hindering progress in the petroleum sector.

In the letter dated August 30, 2017, Kachikwu had also complained about how attempts to book an appointment with the president had failed.

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On Wednesday, October 4, the Senate set up an ad-hoc committee chaired by former Sokoto state governor, Aliyu Wammako, to investigate Dr. Baru in light of the allegations.