*Drops ‘unremitted’ N165bn claim
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/NBBSPIDEL.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has made a u-turn as the panel of enquiry he set up by to investigate the alleged shortfall in operating surpluses by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) under the leadership of the suspended MD/CEO, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, will now probe her for insubordination as against the earlier claim of not remitting operating surplus of N165 billion to the consolidated revenue fund account (CFR). Thisday reports.
This comes as the youths in Katsina State under the auspices of Katsina Youth for Sustainable Change, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the 11-man investigative panel inaugurated by Amaechi to probe Bala-Usman.
A member of the administrative panel told TheCable yesterday that the focus would now be “insubordination.”
He said: “We are looking at two things. One, the suspended managing director was in the habit of communicating directly with the president and bypassing the honourable minister. This is gross indiscipline and a breach of public service communication line. That is enough to get her sacked.
“Two, the minister directed her to restore all Intels’ contracts that were suspended or terminated. What she didn’t know was that the president was in the know of it. She failed to comply. This is insubordination and she is not above discipline.”
But a source at the transport ministry told THISDAY yesterday that Buhari actually withdrew his approval for the reinstatement of Intels’ contract after Bala-Usman wrote to President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to explain NPA’s position.
Gambari, the source said, forwarded her response to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), for a legal opinion.
The source said Malami wrote to the president to state that the NPA was right and that no contracts were terminated or violated.
Buhari then withdrew his approval for the reinstatement of Intels’ contract and that was believed to have infuriated Amaechi, who accused Usman of insubordination.
According to the source, “If you look at the terms of reference properly, we are to examine and investigate compliance with the communication channel as obtained in the public service. Insubordination is not a small offence.”
The panel member accused her of bypassing the minister and dealing directly with the president despite a “clear reporting hierarchy.”
Asked about the N165 billion non-remittance claim, the member said: “Available evidence shows that the allegation may not be true… it is a matter of reconciliation of what the Budget Office thought should be the remittances with what the actual remittances should be.
“Since audits have been done over the years, there is obviously nothing more to that. It is not as if NPA’s monies are in private banks. Everything is with the CBN, so if there were no remittances, it is just about looking at NPA’s accounts with the CBN.”
Although the minister asked the eleven-member panel to “examine and investigate the procurement of contracts from 2016 to date” as part of the terms of reference, another source at the NPA said it was going to be a “tricky job.”
“At NPA, any contract beyond N50 million for goods and services and N200 million for works are referred to the ministerial tenders board (MTB), which is headed by the permanent secretary of the ministry,” he said.
“If we go into probing contracts since 2016, we may end up probing the minister himself. About 70 per cent of the contracts for capital projects go to the MTB, after which the minister presents them to the federal executive council (FEC), presided over by the president himself, for approval. We will check if all the procedures were followed, but I am personally not optimistic about that. The suspended MD, from indications, is a process person.”
Amaechi, who is one of the very few ministers with direct access to Buhari since 2015, has denied allegations that he was fighting a personal war with Usman, whom he nominated for the position in 2016 after working with her in the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
