Ojulari’s alleged exit: Presidency, NNPCL’s silence heightens confusion

…We don’t speak for NNPCL—DSS, EFCC sources

…Ojulari keeps mum

…It’s all politics of 2027—Source

By Soni Daniel, Udeme Akpan & Obas Esiedesa

ABUJA — THE fate of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr Bayo Ojulari, remained unknown last night, as the Presidency and other key agencies of government kept mute over his reported resignation.

The top oil sector operative, who was only appointed to lead the Nigerian oil company in April this year by President Bola Tinubu, is reported to have voluntarily thrown in the towel over some issues which the Presidency is said to have frowned on.

However, the Presidency is yet to make any such allegation against Ojulari at the time of going to press.

An online medium, over the weekend, reported that Ojulari was not only pressurised to resign his appointment over undisclosed issues but was also abducted and threatened by two federal government security agencies to step down.

However, the Department of State Services, DSS, or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, failed to speak on the development, which has continued to generate tension and confusion across the oil industry and Nigeria.

DSS denies involvement in illegal operations

A source, who pleaded anonymity last night, said the DSS hierarchy was miffed by the attempt to link the agency with Ojulari’s fate.

“The DSS has nothing whatsoever to do with the NNPC CEO. Nobody from the agency is involved in any attempt to abduct or arrest Ojulari. Anyone who insinuates that would be promptly charged for defamation,” a source close to the agency warned last night.

The source said the new leadership of the DSS, led by Adeola Tosin Ajayi, does not want to allow any of his operatives to be involved in any form of illegal operation.

EFCC keeps mum

Similarly, the EFCC has firmly shied away from making any form of comment on the matter, as efforts made to get the reaction of the agency were rebuffed by those saddled with the responsibility.

A top Presidency official had refused to confirm the resignation or otherwise of Ojulari, arguing that it was not the duty of the President’s office to speak for the NNPC.

The official said he would not make further comment on the matter and advised our reporter to seek out whatever information they needed from the oil company.

While that remains the situation with external sources, the NNPC itself has deliberately refused to clear the air on the raging Ojulari resignation controversy.

This is so because more than 24 hours after reports emerged that Ojulari had resigned, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, had remained silent on the status of its chief executive.

It’s all politics of 2027 —Source

A source, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, explained that Ojulari’s ordeal has more of a political colouration.

The source further explained that though the President does not have any issue with the embattled NNPCL boss, some “people around the President do not want to take chances and so, they want him out.”

According to the source, Ojulari’s problem started over his closeness to Bashir-Haske, Atiku’s son-in-law.

Abdullahi Bashir-Haske, the founder and group Managing Director of AA&R, is married to the daughter of Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president.

The source said: “It is all politics of 2027. They see Bashir-Haske’s closeness to Ojulari as a threat to them in 2027 because they are guessing that if Bashir-Haske is getting contracts from NNPCL, it automatically means that Atiku, who is gearing up for 2027, will be a beneficiary.

‘’From what I know, Ojulari is seen more as a northerner. He has lived more of his life in the north, he attended ABU Zaria and his first language is Hausa. Tinubu does not have any issues with him (Ojulari), but those around him are not comfortable with such a development.

‘’They do not want to take chances at all; that is why they are calling for his removal.”

Since the online reports of Ojulari’s alleged resignation broke, all inquiries to the staff of the department have gone unanswered.

Over the years, access to the NNPC Towers, which house both the company and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, has become increasingly restricted to journalists.

Ojulari keeps mum

Attempts to speak with  Ojulari did not yield any result as he did not take his calls or respond to WhatsApp messages yesterday, when Vanguard reached out to him repeatedly for comments.

But a source in the NNPCL, who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak, said: “Bashir Bayo Ojulari has not resigned as reported in some online media. I am not supposed to speak to the media, and we don’t have a spokesman yet.

“Let me say that it is a sad situation, which has affected our operations. Ojulari was just settling down to work.

‘’Now, everyone has been distracted. I hope we can put it behind us so that the normal environment can be created for work.”

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