PRESS STATEMENT
Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) and the Afenifere Youth Council (AYC) Response to the Threat by the Arewa Accountability Network Against the GCEO of NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari.
The Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) and the Afenifere Youth Council (AYC) are compelled to issue this statement in response to the call by a self styled group, known, as the Arewa Accountability Network, demanding the immediate resignation of Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), based on the unfounded claim that he has reached the mandatory retirement age.
This call is yet another in a series of ill-conceived and baseless attacks against the leadership of NNPCL, a calculated attempt to derail the tremendous progress being made in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector under the stewardship of Mr. Kyari. The orchestrated smear campaign by these detractors is not about public service or accountability, but rather a deliberate and misguided effort to destabilize the remarkable transformations unfolding within the Nigeria oil sector.
We find this latest call not only ignorant but laced with mischief. It is abundantly clear that the individuals behind this demand are sponsored by forces opposed to the radical reforms being implemented by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the Petroleum sector. These individuals, in their attempt to distract from the progressive initiatives currently underway, seem to be conveniently ignoring the fact that NNPCL has long since transitioned from a public corporation to a limited liability company. As such, the tenure of the GCEO is determined not by arbitrary age limits, but by the governing Board of NNPCL and the shareholders, the Nigerian people, who are vested with the authority to determine the leadership of the company.
We are also aware of the renewed media onslaught targeting Mr. Kyari and the NNPCL leadership, primarily fueled by controversies surrounding the local availability of refined petroleum products. This surge in local supply is a direct result of the visionary leadership of Mr. Kyari and the ongoing revitalization of Nigeria’s refineries, particularly the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, as well as the near completion of the Kaduna refinery. These reforms, which hold the promise of reducing the country’s dependency on imported refined petroleum products, are an undeniable testimony, to the transformative work currently taking place under Mr. Kyari’s leadership.
We, the Transparency and Accountability Network and the Afenifere Youth Council, stand resolutely with Mr. Mele Kyari and the leadership of NNPCL. We are fully committed to supporting the ongoing reforms that are crucial to the economic development and self-sufficiency of our nation in the oil and gas sector. Any attempt by detractors or enemies of progress to further harass or derail these reforms will be met with resistance. We are confident that the Nigerian people, who are the true beneficiaries of these reforms, will not be swayed by the machinations of those determined to see our progress falter.
We call on all Nigerians to support the ongoing efforts to build a more efficient, transparent, and self-reliant petroleum sector, which will drive the nation towards greater prosperity.
Yours Sincerely,
Jude Ochiaga
Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN)
Opeyemi Abdul-Azeez
Afenifere Youth Council (AYC)