Group warn critics against undermining Tinubu’s oil sector reforms

…Condemns attack on GMD NNPCL

The Coalition of Good Governance and Change Initiatives, in partnership with the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has cautioned critics of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to desist from what they described as coordinated campaigns of blackmail and sabotage, particularly targeting reforms in the oil sector.

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At a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, the coalition expressed concern over increasing attacks against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bayo Ojulari.

Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the Coalition, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, accused some political actors and individuals of working behind the scenes to discredit President Tinubu’s reform agenda.

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“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 at night to sabotage this government through institutions like NNPCL, but they appear as friends of the government during the day,” he said.

Ogenyi said Dr. Ojulari’s leadership at the NNPCL has introduced major reforms aimed at sanitising the long-troubled oil sector. These, he noted, include audit and forensic review of legacy contracts, operational transparency, real-time reporting, reorganisation of the Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD), crackdown on middlemen and phantom traders, staff reorientation, and partnerships with international anti-corruption agencies.

He stated that these sweeping changes have ended the era of fuel scarcity, long queues at filling stations, and the sale of adulterated fuel.

“The era of long queues 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,” he added.

The coalition condemned the growing wave of media attacks and protests allegedly aimed at tarnishing the image of Dr. Ojulari. They called on President Tinubu to remain vigilant and resist attempts to derail progress in the oil industry.

“We respectfully urge His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to be vigilant and discerning regarding the motives of those peddling baseless allegations and character assassinations against the GCEO. These blackmailers are desperate to return the sector to its corrupt past, which Mr. Ojulari is actively dismantling,” they said.

The group also vowed to expose individuals allegedly orchestrating the smear campaign if they fail to back down, threatening to publish details of their corrupt dealings.

Also speaking at the event, HURIWA President, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, raised concerns over internal opposition from within the ruling party and called for fair assessment of public officials’ performance.

“Our appeal is that Nigerians should give the hierarchy in NNPC a chance to demonstrate to all the programmes they have for us.

“We hope that the NNPC sustains the current level of consistent supply of products locally. Let the NNPC maintain that as a legacy of the President who has appointed them,” he stressed.

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