GCEO NNPCL, Engr. Melee Kyari
By Raphael Ekpang
A group under the auspices of Coalition of North and Southern Youth Leaders Forum has condemned in totality the call for the removal of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Engr. Mele Kolo Kyari by enemies of the country.
The group however called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard the ‘blackmailers’ whom they said were sponsored by oil theft cabals in the country
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the national coordinator, Northern and Southern Youth Leaders Forum, Comrade Emmanuel Fiawei Pathfinder said they deemed it fit to put the facts straight before Nigerians and not to believe manufacturers and peddlers of fake news and sheer blackmail and vilifying of Engr Mele Kyari.
According to him, “We are really disappointed by the action of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for running to the press to publish a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over alleged missing fund of US$15 billion oil revenues, and N200 billion budgeted to repair the refineries in Nigeria are missing and unaccounted for between 2020 and 2021.
“This is really a shame for an organization such as SERAP to run to court without concrete evidence to file a so-called lawsuit against Mr President for failure to probe missing fund of US$15 billion oil revenues, and N200 billion budgeted to repair the refineries, he said.
Comrade Pathfinder alleged that SERAP is a group used and sponsored by some disgruntled elements who call themselves politicians who are neck-dip inside stealing the nation’s crude oil for self aggrandizement at the detriment of Nigerians.
“SERAP’s stock in trade has been cheap blackmail of government and individuals under the guise of activism, and they are well known for that and also have allowed itself to become so cheap for these corrupt Nigerians they supposed to fight and expose, therefore, are using them to score cheap political points.
“As far as their allegations and claims are concerned SERAP does not have the evidence to prove their points because they work.on hearsays, therefore are out to deceive themselves and paint the GCEO of NNPCL, Engr Mele Kyari, in bad light despite his sincere effort to sanitize the oil and gas sector, which had blown off most illicit businesses engaged in by their paymasters.
“We, therefore, challenge SEPAP to publish their evidences and let the world see them. Definitely, if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back, and that is exactly what SERAP is doing as dirty job for oil thieves. It is a pity for SERAP to debase itself by stooping so low because of what they will get at the end of the day,” he said.
” we also want to state that Nigeria is bigger than a particular group of persons, sponsors, and ethnic group, whereby we see people whom we respect as leaders also have taken to the streets to make themselves so cheap to say all kinds of words and displayed emotions that are uncalled for.
“This is really unbecoming and unacceptable because the people who are clamouring for Engr Kyari’s sack have failed to critically analyze what they have put out there as baseless and faulty allegations because they don’t really understand how the petroleum sector works, and the alleged monies they claim Engr Kyari has embezzled cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
“They are disgruntled who dole out stolen monies to sponsor the poor to protest and carry placards with different inscriptions to blackmail the GCEO.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to ignore and disregard those groups of disgruntled, and jobless fellows with their collaborators who did not mean well for the country neither appreciate the resounding impact made in the oil and gas sector by Engr Kyari.”
“Meanwhile, we use this platform to commend the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) for graciously appointing a daughter of the Niger Delta region as the Chief Executive Vice President, Upstream, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan.
“We in this coalition really appreciate Mr President for this amazing gesture and gift to the Niger Delta people, and we strongly believe that her appointment will bring a monumental impact and change in the oil and gas sector, and we also assure Mr President that she won’t disappoint him and the Nigerians based on the economic reforms Mr President is carrying out under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Meanwhile, Comrade Pathfinder concluded by saying that there is no doubt that Eyesan will bring in her expertise of skillfulness and experience to bear as a top carrier management staff who has performed excellently well in her previous positions before now., The coming in of ORITSEMEYIWA EYESAN will be a game changer that will reposition and reorganize the nation upstream sector to best global practice in the nation oil industry.
