By Seyi Babalola
A group, Niger Delta Peoples Assembly, on Saturday provided a clue to why alleged oil thieves, including a first class traditional ruler, are against the Group Chief Executive (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The organization said the monarch, (name withheld) was very annoyed when the NNPCL management informed him that his pipeline surveillance contract would not be renewed, as it would be subsumed under a very effective and efficient global contract.
The NDPA was reacting to a recent protest by a purported coalition of 26 youth groups at NNPCL’s building which hosts the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Authority (NMPA) in Warri, Delta State.
The NDPA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Richard Toritseju Okotie, titled, “Frustrated monarch and illicit oil barons behind fake Warri protests against NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari”, obtained by journalists in Abuja, said the supposed coalition protest was “a joke in its entirety and an orchestrated fiction poorly steam rolled.”
He said, “The offence of Mele Kyari is that he refused to renew the monarch’s contract when it expired a month ago. Hence, he is baying for his blood. The embattled monarch is also reported to be angry with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) led by Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, for not circumventing the implementation of the PIA in his domain to his benefit.
“He devised desperate tactics to bypass the PIA law, but it ended in fiasco. He was roundly ignored by NUPRC and tamed by the NNPCL. The aggrieved monarch in cahoot with oil thieves is unimpressed with Mele Kyari’s bid to rid the NNPCL of all illegal oil operations, and had hired fake protesters to malign the committed GCEO.
“The act of organized protest has become a huge joke in the Niger Delta. How can anyone take what happened in Warri Delta State as a protest?”
The NDPA wondered if “few belligerent and ill informed youths, holding placards, in front of the NNPCL’s building that hosts the NUPRC and the Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Authority (NMPA) Warri, be referred to as a protest of a coalition of 26 youth groups.”
See full statement Below:
FRUSTRATED MONARCH AND ILLICIT OIL BARONS BEHIND FAKE WARRI PROTESTS AGAINST NNPCL’s GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (GCEO), MELE KYARI
The act of organized protest has become a huge joke in the Niger Delta. How can anyone take what happened
in Warri Delta State as a protest?Can few belligerent and ill informed youths, holding placards, in front of the NNPCL’s building that hosts the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission ( NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Authority (NMPA) Warri, be referred to as a protest of a coalition of 26 youth groups?
That was the charade that happened in Warri recently, which those who sponsored it called a protest asking for the probe and removal from office of the GCEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari.
The supposed coalition protest was indeed a joke in its entirety. It was an orchestrated fiction poorly steam rolled. It did not make an impact it was intended due largely to lack of numbers, coordination and purpose.
The brain behind the wishy washy outing was a first class traditional ruler, who considers himself very smart and so wants to harvest without planting.
The lacklustre reception accorded his protesting youths by the staff of the NUPRC was most deserving, he knew he had the short end of the stick. The monarch should hide his head in shame for trying to resort to cheap blackmail and crude methods to have his way in the renewal of his pipelines surveillance contract.
Very well, he does not merit the re-award.
The monarch failed miserably alongside his illicit oil barons, and have become more frustrated by recent nationalistic policies of Mele Kyari to retool the NNPCL.
The various names paraded as the group of misguided youths that took placards to the gates of NUPRC, were, Niger Delta Youth Association, Niger Delta Women for Change, Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Network & South South United Youth Association. They are all non- existent and mere fabrications. They existed only in their imagination and that of their sponsors.
In a very poorly articulated address, they presented their grouse as financial impropriety; lack of vision, poor performance, autocratic conduct, among others against the NNPCL GMD. And this prompts the question of whether they are auditors appointed by Mr. President to study the books of the NNPCL?
On the other hand, it would have helped their protest if they had an auditor’s report indicting the GCEO of NNPCL
The NNPCL is the most probed and audited agency by other government institutions, such as the National Assembly. This is due to the oversight function exercise over it by NASS, and Mele Kyari has never been found wanting. Mele Kyari infact enjoys a clean bill of health.
On the issue of refineries rehabilitation, the mischief makers and their sponsors need to be informed that the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries is ongoing, with the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries to come on stream in December 2023.
There is an increase in crude oil production in 2023 due to the ingenuity and commitment of the GMD, who launched a relentless war against oil theft and pipelines vandalism by local operators and international barons. His sincere efforts and patriotic zeal have been recognised and appreciated by all critical stakeholders within and outside the oil industry and indeed outside the shores of Nigeria.
To hurt the feelings of hired jobless protesters and their main principal, our indefagible President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reposed huge implicit confidence in Mr. Mele Kyari, a reservoir of knowledge.
Does anyone have to remind the hollow head Street urchins, who served as ready tools of the youthful but directionless monarch, that the decision of Mr. President to retain Mele Kyari as GCEO of NNPCL was a confirmation of his resourcefulness, astuteness and commitment to the attainment of set goals. With this singular action of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it was very clear to discernible minds that Mr. President has an implict confidence in the man Mele Kyari as an eminently qualified member of the team to deliver the vision and mission of the Renewed Hope mantra in the oil industry.
Mele Kyari recently awarded pipelines rehabilitation and surveillance contracts throughout the country to a consortium of oil firms in a bid to ensure uninterrupted conveyance of crude and supply of refined products to all nooks and crannies of the country.
The grouse of the unhappy king stems from the refusal of the NNPCL’s GCEO to renew his non-performing pipelines surveillance contracts, which expired last September.
The first class monarch is still dazed that Mele Kyari, having reviewed the said contract, refused to be used, as he declined all entreaties.
Crude carrying pipelines in the areas under the monarch’s control were daily compromised and vandalized by oil thieves, while he collected millions of dollars for unexecuted jobs. The era of such free money no longer exists in the current regime.
He was thoroughly embittered when the NNPCL management informed him that his surveillance contract would not be renewed, as it would be subsumed under a very effective and efficient global contract.
The offence of Mele Kyari is that he refused to renew the monarch’s contract when it expired a month ago. Hence, he is baying for his blood.
The embattled monarch is also reported to be angry with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) led by Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, for not circumventing the implementation of the PIA in his domain to his benefit. He devised desperate tactics to bypass the PIA law, but it ended in fiasco. He was roundly ignored by NUPRC and tamed by the NNPCL.
The aggrieved monarch in cahoot with oil thieves is unimpressed with Mele Kyari’s bid to rid the NNPCL of all illegal oil operations, and had hired fake protesters to malign the committed GCEO.
We implore Mr. President to ignore the media hype of the supposed protest. It was a frustrated monarch cutting his nose to spite his face, who was behind it.
Mele Kyari should be preserved to continue his good works in the national interest.
No one changes a winning team, rather, you strengthen it.
Only individuals who engaged in unlawful activities and seeking unmerited favours that are afraid of Mele Kyari.
And the oil thieves and those seeking to circumvent the law would continue to have reasons to be unhappy , with Mele Kyari enjoying a merited endorsement and backing of Mr. President in his patriotic zeal to rid the nation’s oil industry of all sharp practices associated with crude oil and petroleum products.
Our dear, Mele Kyari, ride on in the national interest.
God bless Nigeria!!!
SIGNED for and on behalf of Niger Delta Peoples Assembly (NDPA)
Richard Toritseju Okotie
National Coordinator
