In Nigeria’s politically charged landscape, the line between truth and propaganda is often blurred, especially when high performing public servants become targets of orchestrated media attacks.
The current narrative linking the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, to Atiku Abubakar’s son-in-law, Abdullahi Bashir Haske, is a textbook case of politically motivated blackmail, and it deserves to be called out for what it is.
The facts are indisputable: AA&R Investment Group, founded by Abdullahi Bashir Haske, has had business ties with NNPCL long before Ojulari assumed office. These ties are not criminal, covert, or unusual. In sectors such as energy, logistics, and agribusiness, collaborations between government agencies and private firms are standard. To allege, therefore, that Mr. Ojulari is “funding the opposition” simply because AA&R is led by someone related to a political figure is absurd and reckless. If we begin to judge public contracts based on family affiliations, then we are undermining the very foundations of merit based governance.
It is worth reminding the public that Mr. Ojulari was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in April 2025, barely four months ago, with full confidence in his competence and integrity. Since assuming office, Ojulari has launched a wave of reforms that are repositioning NNPCL into a model national oil company. Among his earliest achievements is the successful completion of the AKK River Niger Crossing, a strategic milestone in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure rollout. Under his watch, Nigeria’s crude oil production exceeded OPEC quota for the first time in years, while NNPCL posted an unprecedented ₦905 billion post tax profit in June and remitted ₦6.96 trillion to the Federation Account in five months.
Internally, Ojulari has restored 100% pipeline availability, reintroduced monthly financial reports, and ensured the timely payment of joint venture cash calls. His “No to value loss” policy has cracked down on inefficiencies, enforced accountability, and revived conversations around refinery reform. including the bold option of divestment where necessary.
Furthermore, his commitment to clean energy has been underscored by the donation of 35 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to support affordable, eco-friendly transport.
These are not the actions of a compromised official, they are the hallmarks of a reformer. So what then is behind the smear campaign?
Simply put, 2027 politics is rearing its head too early. The unsubstantiated allegations are aimed at weakening Tinubu’s most effective technocrats before the next electoral cycle. It is a ploy to sow distrust within the administration, discredit performance with politics, and destabilise ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector.
This is not new. In Nigeria, every government reformer eventually finds himself in the center of vested interests. But as citizens, we must resist the temptation to join the bandwagon of baseless narratives. Leadership should be judged by measurable impact, not by innuendo. Mr. Ojulari’s first 100 days offer a clear record of accomplishment that deserves commendation, not condemnation.
Let it be known: Abdullahi Bashir Haske’s personal relationship with Atiku Abubakar has no bearing on the business dealings of NNPCL under Ojulari. And attempts to suggest otherwise are not only misleading, but dangerous to the integrity of our democratic institutions.
If Nigeria is to truly progress, we must separate governance from petty politics. Mr. Ojulari represents a new era of leadership, one that delivers results. Let’s not destroy it with slander.
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