Uncertainty Over NNPC CEO’s Alleged Resignation

There was uncertainty yesterday over an alleged resignation of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mr Bayo Bashir Ojulari.

A report published by an online medium, Peoples Gazette had claimed that Ojulari was abducted by operatives of the State Security Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
It added that the NNPC boss was forced to sign a resignation letter after a directive from President Bola Tinubu.

Another online medium, theconclaveng, claimed that Ojulari confirmed his resignation without any drama, insisting that he did it voluntarily, contrary to reports that he was forced to sign the resignation.
His alleged clarification, according to the online medium, was contained in a statement entitled: “REBUTTAL: BAYO OJULARI CLARIFIES RESIGNATION, DISMISSES ‘ABDUCTION’ CLAIMS AS FICTION.”
However, the online medium did not disclose who signed the alleged confirmation letter.

The statement said contrary to the report by Peoples Gazette alleging that he (Ojulari) was abducted and forced to resign by security officials, the story is nothing but fiction.

But the EFCC and SSS debunked the online news which alleged that their operatives abducted Ojulari.
Security sources who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday described the story as “fake news”.
They explained that the story is not true as there was no such operation.

SSS sources told our correspondent that the story was “false” and had no iota of truth.
Peoples Gazette had reported that top officials of two federal law enforcement and security bodies abducted Ojulari and forced him to resign at a secret location in Abuja.

It said Ojulari was seized on Friday and forced to sign a resignation letter by Ola Olukoyede, chairman of anti-graft EFCC, and Adeola Ajayi, director-general of SSS.

Efforts made by LEADERSHIP Sunday to obtain information from government officials were unsuccessful as none of them was ready to speak on record.
Calls made to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga were declined.

Sources also told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the lack of a corporate communications officer at the NNPCL worsened the situation.

This is because since the erstwhile Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, resigned recently,and no replacement has been made.