An anti-Corruption organization on the platform of Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives (CGGCI) in conjunction with Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) have raised alarm of alleged plot by some individuals and group within the system to sabotage the ongoing reforms and achievements in the oil sector.
The groups called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to be vigilant and resist every attempt to blackmail the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Addressing a press conference Friday in Abuja, National Coordinator of CGGCI, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi and the President of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the recent media attacks and protest against Dr. Bayo Ojulari-led leadership of the NNPCL call for concern.
“We respectfully urge His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to remain vigilant and discerning regarding the motives of those peddling unfounded allegations and character assassinations against the GMD. These blackmailers seek to reverse the progress made and reinstall individuals who will continue the cycles of corruption that Mr. Ojulari is dismantling.
“The President’s choice of Mr. Bayo Ojulari was based on proven competence, credibility, and industry expertise. We must not allow deceptive lobbying to taint the integrity of that decision or disrupt the much-needed reforms currently taking root, as Mr Bayo Ojulari is clearly committed to Mr President Renewed Hope Agenda.”
According to the groups, the whole Country is aware of the pervasive corruption that engulfed the Nigeria oil industry during the previous leadership. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his quest to cleanup the mess in the oil industry appointed Dr Bayo Ojulari as the GGMD of the NNPCL.
“However, there have been a deliberate gang up against Mr. President and his people’s oriented programmes for the country. The enemies of the country have infiltrated all segments of the economy, with a deliberate act of sabotaging Mr. President by blackmailing key agencies of the administration
“Mr. Ojulari initiated a sweeping audit of long-standing, opaque contracts particularly those involving crude lifting and infrastructure projects. This has exposed inflated costs and revenue leakages, many of which are now under internal review.
“Under his directive, the NNPC now operates a real-time reporting dashboard for critical operations—ensuring better monitoring of crude production, refining activities, and fuel distribution nationwide.
“Mr. Ojulari has ended several shady deals with unqualified intermediaries and shell entities used to siphon national resources. This alone has saved billions in prospective losses to the nation.
“For the first time in years, whistleblowing and internal accountability are being actively encouraged at NNPC. Dozens of staff have been reassigned, and internal oversight units strengthened.
“The GMD has opened up collaboration with transparency-focused global institutions, signaling Nigeria’s renewed seriousness in cleaning up its oil sector image.
“Despite all these and others pro-Nigerians policies, some corrupt individuals within the system are not comfortable with the ongoing reforms. We observe that some of them are in hand with major opposition leaders in the night to sabotage this government through the institution like NNPCL, but they appear as friends of the government during the day.
“The era of long queue at the filling stations is gone. The era of fuel scarcity is gone. The era of Nigerian sleeping at filling stations or buying adulterated black market fuel is far gone but these enemies of Nigeria are not comfortable and they are coming out as saints to cause crisis and majorly discredit President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, their major target, by sponsoring protest and media attacks on the leadership of the NNPCL. Nigerians must reject these individuals.”
Comrade Ogenyi said the smear campaign must be seen as a last-ditch effort by compromised forces desperate to hold on to influence and illicit benefits, saying Nigerians will stand with reformers—” and Mr. Bayo Ojulari is clearly one of them.
“We therefore call on all patriotic Nigerians, civil society actors, and media professionals to defend the truth, expose malicious intent, and support the genuine transformation of the NNPC.
“Under this leadership, Nigerians continue to have reduction on prices of petroleum products as pump prices of premium motor spirits slash down.
“We wish to encourage Mr. President to continue with his reforms and not be intimidated by anyone trying to discredit his administration or appointees because Mr President has blocked leakages where corruption resides in the NNPCL through Mr Ojulari’s credible leadership. We urged Mr President to continue to believe in the performing team across agencies of government.”