The House of Representatives has received and approved a request from the socio-cultural organization, Ezi Umuada Igbo, seeking the removal of Sophia Mbakwe, who serves as the Executive Vice President (Business Services) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

The group asserts that Mbakwe is occupying a position allocated for the South East region but is reportedly not from that area.

This request was introduced during the plenary session on Thursday by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream). It specifically called for an investigation by the lawmakers into the alleged violation of the Federal Character Principle related to Mbakwe’s appointment.

Addressed to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the petition highlighted concerns that Mrs. Mbakwe’s role as the representative of the South East on the NNPCL management team was inconsistent with constitutional provisions designed to guarantee fair representation across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

Citing the petition directly, the organization expressed: “While we sincerely appreciate His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for deeming an Igbo woman worthy of a strategic national position, we must humbly yet firmly communicate our concern that the aforementioned appointee, Mrs. Mbakwe, is not from the South East region and therefore cannot properly represent the zone as stipulated by the Federal Character Principle found in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

The Ezi Umuada Igbo Association, recognized as a prominent socio-cultural group of Igbo women in Nigeria and abroad, claimed there are many qualified and capable women from the South East who could take on the role.

The group also stated: “We therefore call on the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and all pertinent authorities to reevaluate this appointment and ensure that a worthy daughter of the South East—selected from the rich pool of skilled, experienced, and devoted Igbo women across our five states—is considered for the position.”

After the petition was presented, the House of Representatives concurred to review it through its relevant committees and initiate the required legislative proceedings.