Nigerians have been urged to allow the presidency carefully investigate the circumstances behind awards of oil lifting contracts by the NNPC, before concluding there is a clash between north-south in government.

Some persons told TVC’s Sumner Sambo that the recent spat between Ibe Kachikwu and Maikanti Baru is a rare opportunity for citizens to know how the state-oil company operates.

The controversy over alleged breach of procedures in allocation of Nigeria’s oil lifting contracts worth 25 billion US dollars continues to attract debates among citizens across the country with many urging an investigation or the setting up of an independent panel of inquiry.

But the debate is gradually taking a North-South dimension where some people have openly asked Minister of State for Petroleum Ibe Kachikwu to resign as he is being allegedly victimized by a set of northern cabals.

But  observers in separate interviews with TVC News have urged Nigerians to dwell on the issues rather than allow politicians to hijack the minister’s petition.

President Muhammadu Buhari is also advised to urgently intervene by setting up administrative and investigative mechanisms to look into the scandal, as his silence continues to hurt Nigeria’s international image.

While the oil minister and other cabinet officials say the 25 billion dollars contract award allegations are based on boycott of governance procedures and not embezzlement of funds, civil society groups are asking that Kachikwu and Baru be immediately suspended from office pending the outcome of an investigation.