Tinubu Doesn’t Interfere in Our Operations – NNPCL

• The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited clarified that President Tinubu does not interfere in its operations or leadership decisions
• NNPCL emphasized that all personnel movements are based on merit and expertise, rejecting allegations of ethnic favoritism in appointments

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not interfere in the operations of the national oil company or influence decisions regarding its leadership or personnel movements.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, in response to an article by Prof. Farooq Kperogi titled “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC.”

Soneye stated that the NNPCL’s decisions regarding employment, promotions, appointments, and leadership movements are based strictly on merit, business requirements, and expertise, devoid of any influence from ethnicity, tribe, religion, or political affiliation.

In his article, Kperogi alleged that Tinubu was promoting a “Yorubacentric takeover” of the NNPC and that Yoruba individuals were being positioned for major leadership roles, including the anticipated replacement of the Group Managing Director (GMD), Mele Kyari, whose term is expected to end next year.

Soneye dismissed Kperogi’s claims as misconceptions, stating that the NNPCL is focused on efficient service delivery and relies on a competent, professional workforce.

“President Tinubu does not interfere in the operations or leadership movements within the NNPC,” Soneye emphasized. “His administration has introduced transformative policies that have added immense value to the oil and gas sector and the broader Nigerian economy.

The president’s approach empowers institutions like the NNPC to operate independently while fostering a conducive environment for growth and innovation.”

The NNPC spokesman emphasized that the company is a professional organisation with a diverse leadership lineup that includes individuals from various parts of the world, not just Nigeria.

“The presence of qualified foreigners employed by the NNPC, bolstering the value chain of production and distribution of allied products, is verifiable.

“It is, thus, sad that a professor of Mr Kperogi’s standing would resort to and play up the issue of ethnic identities in the configuration of the work team in NNPC just to demonise President Tinubu,” he said.

He stated that under the leadership of Mele Kyari, the NNPCL had achieved remarkable milestones and recorded several “firsts” in the industry.

“These milestones were not defined, coloured or contoured by primordial fault lines of tribe and religion. The collective drive for excellence inspired them.

These milestones include groundbreaking advancements in exploration, production, and global partnerships that were previously thought unattainable.

This success is a testament to the company’s focus on competence and professionalism rather than on parochialism as insinuated in the editorial offerings by Mr Kperogi,” he said.