The Concerned Citizens of Nigeria, a civil liberty advocacy group, have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay no attention to swirling rumours over the supposed resignation of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari.
The group says the controversy is needless, dangerous, and could have political consequences ahead of the 2027 General Elections if allowed to fester.
As the President inches closer to the next polls, the group is cautioning against taking decisions that could unsettle key regions or hand political ammunition to the opposition. They warn that sycophants and rival politicians might be pushing misleading narratives aimed at weakening the administration’s electoral chances — particularly in certain geo-political zones.
Speaking to journalists, the group’s chairman, Robert Terfa Swem, said Mr Ojulari’s appointment as NNPCL’s GCEO was no accident but a deliberate recognition of a man with over 24 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, including a distinguished career with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
According to Swem, Ojulari’s presence at the helm of NNPCL is not only a major asset to the Tinubu administration but also a political advantage — especially in the North-Central region where he hails from. “This is a unifying appointment that can translate into stronger political support and votes,” he stressed.
Swem further alleged that some coalition parties may be trying to sabotage the goodwill of the President by planting divisive rumours, possibly to stir sectional resentment.
He warned that such tactics, if unchecked, could fuel discontent and give opposition parties an easy narrative to exploit during campaigns. “We must guard against discriminatory rumours capable of causing uproar or dissatisfaction across different regions,” he said.
The Concerned Citizens of Nigeria insisted that Ojulari’s leadership at NNPCL should be seen as a strategic choice to promote unity and cohesion across the country.
“Our message to His Excellency is simple,” Swem concluded. “Continue to lead with vision and purpose, but be conscious of the political implications of certain decisions as we head towards 2027. The stakes are high, and unity is non-negotiable.”
