NNPCL: Smear Campaign Against Ojulari Mere Vested Interest — Group

A pro-democracy group, Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) has asked President Bola Tinubu and the general public to ignore the recent smear campaign against the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari.

The good governance group said it has studied the campaign and discovered that “It is not about facts or performance. It is about vested interests seeking to reclaim the corridors of unchecked power and patronage within the oil and gas sector.”

In a statement released Tuesday in Abuja, signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Olaniyi Olawale, CGG said the path of progress, accountability, and modernisation being championed by Ojulari must not be derailed by fabricated conspiracies or cabal-driven propaganda.

It urged President Tinubu to continue to lend his strategic patience and unwavering support to Ojulari as he carries out the difficult but necessary task of repositioning the NNPCL into a globally competitive, transparent, and investor-friendly national oil company.

The statement added that enemies of reform may roar loudly, but truth, performance, and service to nation will ultimately prevail.

“By targeting Mr. Ojulari with fabrications, half-truths, and manufactured associations, these actors seek to undermine his reforms and derail the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

“Since assuming office, Mr. Ojulari has demonstrated visionary and results-oriented leadership in line with the President’s energy sector reform blueprint. Among his achievements are:

“Operational Repositioning: Instituting efficiency measures to streamline NNPC operations, reduce leakages, and improve accountability.

“Transparency & Corporate Governance: Enforcing global best practices in financial reporting and regulatory compliance.

“Investor Confidence: Reassuring both local and international investors, including the IOCs, of Nigeria’s seriousness in repositioning its energy sector for growth and sustainability.

“Alignment with Renewed Hope Agenda: Driving policies that directly complement President Tinubu’s national development and economic diversification vision.

“By every measurable indicator, Mr. Ojulari remains one of the best-performing appointments in this administration — a professional committed to service delivery, not politics,” it stated.

While warning against the false narrative, the group said: “The falsehoods being circulated, ranging from alleged political collusion to frivolous retreats and baseless business ties are nothing but tools of blackmail. They are intended to pressure the Presidency into making hasty, ill-advised decisions that would embolden corrupt actors and reverse hard-earned progress.

“We therefore urge Mr. President not to be cowed by these naysayers, detractors, and accomplices of the old order who are desperate to hold on to their corrupt grip over the NNPC. Yielding to such antics would not only embolden mediocrity but also risk eroding investor trust, particularly among foreign investors and International Oil Companies (IOCs) who closely monitor Nigeria’s energy governance landscape.

“Investor confidence could wane, slowing capital inflows into vital projects.

“Nigeria’s image as a serious player in the global energy market could be damaged.

“The credibility of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda would be unfairly questioned on the altar of blackmail.”