Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has shared his reservation over President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Paris, France amid series of crises in the country, saying reasons for such journey were best known to him and his handlers.

Speaking via a statement titled, ‘Whither Nigeria, my beloved country’, which was made available to Naija News on Wednesday, the elder statesman lamented that it was shameful that while Nigerians don’t feel safe anymore in their fatherland, the Federal Government led by Tinubu was focused on trivial matters such as the recall of the embattled Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The PDP chieftain, while expressing concern over the state of affairs in the country, noted that those in charge of the polity have closed their ears to reasoning and deliberately came out with policies capable of disintegrating the country, saying that it was disheartening that Nigeria was precariously and dangerously staggering on the path of self-destruction.

This was just as he noted that history is a faithful record of the past, and also a prophecy of what is coming, saying that he saw what led to the collapse of the First and Second republics being repeated by the APC-led Federal Government.

He said, “Today, and with the series of crises, insecurity, hunger, joblessness and other vices in the country, President Bola Tinubu has taken off to Paris, France for reasons best known to him and his handlers.

“Nigerians don’t feel safe anymore in their fatherland, but the Federal Government, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Senate are only interested in recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. What a shame!

“Aside from the fact that history is a faithful record of the past, it is also a prophecy of what is coming. That is why Fela’s song is still apt, decades after. Today, I see what led to the collapse of the First and Second republics being repeated by the APC-led Federal Government.”

The family of the immediate past governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, has lauded the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja for affirming the election victory of Monday Okpebholo as the governor of the State.

The three-member tribunal panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the allegations brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, for lack of credible evidence.

On Wednesday, Naija News reported that the Tribunal ruled that the PDP and Ighodalo failed to prove their claims against Okpebholo.

The Tribunal stated that “no competent witnesses were called” by the petitioners to substantiate their petition, thereby upholding the victory of Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

In a statement jointly signed by Benjamin Igbinovia Obaseki, Osaro Obaseki, and Emwanta Obaseki, the former governor’s family congratulated Okpebholo on his well-deserved victory at the Tribunal.

The family commended Okpebholo’s administration, adding that it will be eight years of performance and reforms.

The statement read, “The judiciary again has proven they are the hope of the people and a pillar for which justice and democracy shall continually stand.

“Meanwhile, you have demonstrated that you have come to protect and build a new Edo where every resident and visitor will have a memorable lifetime share of the dividends of Democracy.

“Your stand and support against illegal and oppressive unions dues collections, the awards of road contracts, public service and Local Government reforms, industrial investments and economic revival are signs that you are ready to build Edo of our collective dream.s

“You have started well, and God will help you to end well

“It is going to be eight years of performance and reforms

“Once again, congratulations from the House of the Obasekis.”

Indications have emerged that sweeping changes are imminent within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiaries, following the assumption of office by the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Bayo Ojulari.

Ojulari officially resumed duties on Monday amidst growing anticipation of a comprehensive reorganisation of the national oil company’s operations.

The changes, according to internal sources, will begin from the corporate headquarters and extend across the entire NNPCL ecosystem, including its Upstream, Gas and Power, New Energy, Downstream, and Non-Energy businesses.

According to Vanguard findings, the impending restructuring is part of efforts by the new leadership to align the company with national objectives and inject greater efficiency into the oil and gas industry.

The goal is to place “round pegs in round holes,” focusing on performance and results-driven leadership.

Subsidiaries Likely to Be Affected

The businesses expected to be impacted include:

• NNPC E&P Limited (NEPL)
• NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS)
• NNPC Energy Services Limited (EnServ)
• NNPC Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO)
• NNPC New Energy Limited (NNEL)
• NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC)
• NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML)
• NNPC Gas & Power Investment Services (NGPIS)
• NNPC Trading Limited (NTL)
• NNPC Retail Limited (NRL)
• NNPC Shipping Limited (NSL)
• NNPC RefChem Limited (NRCL)
• NNPC Downstream Investment Services (NDIS)
• Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited (NPSC)
• National Energy Reserve Management Company (NERMC)
• NNPC Non-Energy Investment Services (NNIS)
• NNPC Foundation Limited/Gte
• NNPC Academy
• NNPC Properties Limited (NPL)
• NNPC Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
• Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI)

Reacting to the leadership change, oil and gas industry experts have begun setting a reform agenda for the new NNPCL management.

Prof. Wumi Iledare, Executive Director of the Emmanuel Egbogah Foundation, urged the Ojulari-led team to revisit the Naira-for-Crude initiative with local refineries and consider the public listing of NNPCL shares—placing purchase limits on individuals and excluding corporate interests.

He also recommended:

1. Divestment of Joint Venture shares from International Oil Companies (IOCs);

2. Full alignment of NNPCL with the intentions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA);

3. Ending the “agency mindset” and adopting a commercially-driven approach;

4. Promoting economies of scale;

5. Enhancing recruitment, training, and capacity development to boost productivity.

Prof. Iledare also commended the former GCEO, Mele Kyari, for his efforts in steering the company through major reforms, expressing optimism in the new team’s ability to deliver value.

Dr. Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), emphasized the importance of professional and independent governance in transforming NNPCL into a globally competitive institution.

“Our peers like Saudi Aramco, PETRONAS, and China National Petroleum Corporation have leveraged their national oil companies for economic transformation. We expect NNPCL to do the same under this new leadership,” he said.

Dr. Yusuf called for:

• Dramatic improvements in corporate governance;
• Optimisation of oil and gas assets;
• A PPP investment model to drive profitability;
• An end to the burden of moribund refineries;

And the listing of NNPCL on both local and international stock exchanges to enforce transparency and accountability.

He, however, warned that success would depend on shielding NNPCL from political interference.

“For this vision to be realized, the independence of the new NNPCL must be guaranteed. There should be zero tolerance for interference from political leadership, the National Assembly, or bureaucratic bottlenecks,” he stressed.

The World Bank has approved three financing operations totalling $1.08bn to support education, nutrition, and economic resilience in Nigeria.

According to a statement on the bank’s website on Wednesday, the concessional loans are aimed at improving the quality of education, building household and community resilience, and enhancing nutrition for underserved groups.

The statement read, “The World Bank has approved three operations in Nigeria, totalling $1.08bn in concessional financing, to enhance education quality, build household and community resilience, and improve nutrition for underserved groups.”

The approved operations include $500m in additional financing for the Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Programme, $80m for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN 2.0), and $500m for the Hope for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) initiative.

According to the statement, the NG-CARES Programme, which was initially designed to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, will support the government’s efforts to expand access to livelihood support, food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households.

The programme, which has already reached over 15 million beneficiaries, has evolved into a shock-responsive platform providing multisectoral interventions, including social transfers, labour-intensive public works, livelihood grants, and support for small businesses.

The new financing will bolster the programme’s reach, particularly as the country grapples with economic challenges arising from the 2023 fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange rate unification.

The Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria programme aims to enhance the use of quality nutrition services for pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children under five.

The initiative is designed to improve maternal and child health, nutrition services, and food security in selected areas. The programme aligns with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, focusing on preventive and curative nutrition interventions, improved feeding practices, and increased access to micronutrient-rich foods.

ANRIN 2.0 builds on the success of the initial programme, which delivered nutrition services to over 13 million children under five between 2018 and 2024.

The HOPE-EDU initiative, which forms part of a series of interrelated operations, will support foundational literacy and numeracy, enhance access to basic education, and strengthen education systems across participating states.

The project is expected to directly benefit 29 million public primary school pupils, 500,000 teachers, and more than 65,000 public primary schools. The initiative will also address issues related to school overcrowding and decentralised allocation of education funds. HOPE-EDU will receive additional funding of $52.18m from the Global Partnership for Education Fund.

Commenting on the initiative, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiamé Diop, said, “Investing in human capital is critical for Nigeria as it offers the best opportunity to unlock the enormous potential of Nigeria.

“These new programmes will help accelerate education quality and support vulnerable citizens. The HOPE-EDU programme will enable better education outcomes by implementing bold reforms and making the right investments to equip the fast-growing young population with foundational skills necessary for rapid and inclusive economic growth.”

Diop added that the ANRIN interventions would improve access to micronutrient-rich foods and nutrition services at primary healthcare levels, while the NG-CARES funding would help Nigeria move from pandemic response to long-term resilience, especially amid ongoing economic challenges.

A High Court in the Eastern Cape division of South Africa has acquitted Timothy Omotoso, a Nigerian televangelist, accused of raping young women in his church.

Omotoso and his two co-defendants were arraigned on a 32-count charge bordering on rape and human trafficking

News24 reported that Omotoso would be deported to Nigeria immediately after the judgment.
The co-defendants are Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho.

Several young women had accused the pastor of luring them into his home in Umhlanga, a town in South Africa, where he allegedly molested them.

In April 2017, the Nigerian pastor was arrested shortly after he landed at an airport in South Africa.
He is the senior pastor of the Jesus Dominion International based in Durban, South Africa. He is also the founder of Tim Omotoso Global Outreach and Ancient of Day Broadcasting Network

According to News24, Irma Schoeman, the trial judge, yesterday, ruled that the state prosecutor did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Nigerian pastor had been in South African prison since his arrest in 2017.

A man from Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, has been left devastated after losing KSh 2.8 million (approx. N33 million) meant for his studies abroad to sports betting.

Dismas Mutai reportedly lost the substantial sum while betting on Aviator, an online gambling platform, and has since taken to social media to seek assistance from well-wishers, including politicians.

He expressed his distress and admitted that the loss had affected his mental well-being.

“I’m not okay; I will no longer pretend to be okay. I have fallen into a disastrous trap. A trap that I never anticipated in my life. Depression is slowly taking me to the grave. You must have even noticed an unusual change in my behaviour. Aviator flew away with over KSh 2.8 million of people’s money,” he stated as quoted by Tuko News, a popular Kenyan news website.

Seeking Forgiveness and Support

Mutai used the platform to plead for support from Kenyans of goodwill, acknowledging his mistake and the toll it has taken on his life.

He apologised to his family for disappointing them, stating that he had struggled with gambling addiction despite having strong ambitions for a better future.

“To my mum and the entire family, forgive me. I understand the level of trust you had in me. I have weaknesses just like any other human being, and this has become my greatest weakness,” stated Mutai.

He also appealed to his community for forgiveness, emphasizing his previous involvement in village affairs and his hope for a second chance.

“Perhaps the UK was not meant for me, but just give me a chance to survive so that I can be a living testimony to many,” he pleaded.

Mutai’s Educational Aspirations

Mutai had secured a scholarship to study for a Master of Science in International Project Management at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in London.

Screenshots shared online indicate that his program was set to begin on January 13, 2025, and conclude on January 16, 2026.

Public Reactions and Warnings Against Sports Betting

The incident has sparked reactions from Kenyans online, many of whom condemned gambling as a dangerous habit that can lead to financial ruin and mental distress.

Some called on the government to regulate or ban platforms like Aviator to prevent similar cases in the future.

After initial hesitation, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has increased the pump price of petrol to N925 per litre at its retail stations in Lagos and N950 per litre in Abuja.

The new price regime, effective from April 2, 2025, represents an increase of N65 from the previous price of N860 per litre in Lagos and an N70 difference from the N880 previously sold in the North.

Recall that last week, MRS and other independent marketers increased the price of petrol, raising its pump price to N930 per litre in Lagos and N960 for residents living in the northern part of the country.

Industry experts said the new increase is a direct fallout of the recent suspension of sales of petroleum products in naira by the Dangote refinery.

This adjustment reflects ongoing changes in Nigeria’s deregulated fuel market and follows shifts in market competition, supply costs, and global oil price trends.

The development also comes against the backdrop of a new leadership at the national oil firm. President Bola Tinubu appointed Mr Bayo Ojulari to replace Mele Kyari in the early hours of Wednesday, while also restructuring the NNPCL board.

Our correspondent confirmed that NNPC stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Ikorodu Road now sell at N925 per litre, after initially displaying N930 per litre to its customers.

Also, the NNPCL retail stations at Fadeyi, Ago Palace Way, and Ogba, as well as the NNPC station on College Road, have adjusted their prices to N925. In Ikeja, outlets on Acme Road and the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway have also raised their pump prices to the new rate.

However, not all NNPC stations in Lagos may have updated their prices at the same time due to logistical delays.

In the Federal Capital Territory, the national oil firm station located along the Kubwa expressway increased its price to N950 from N880 per litre. Other stations along Wuse effected the same increase.

This adjustment comes after months of price competition. In March 2025, NNPC reduced its price to N860 per litre to match Dangote Refinery’s lower rates. However, due to rising global oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and changes in crude oil sourcing costs, NNPC has now revised prices upward.

Earlier in 2025, NNPC had sold petrol at N925 per litre in December 2024 before several price shifts. The current rate in Lagos is still lower than in some cities, like Abuja, where prices recently stood at N880 per litre.

Former lawmaker representing Adamawa North in the Senate, Elijah Ishaku Abbo, has alleged that he lost his senatorial seat in the 10th Senate due to what he described as “judicial banditry.”

Abbo made the claim during an interview on Arise News Channel’s PrimeTime show on Wednesday night, monitored by our correspondent.

He accused the judiciary of manipulating the 2023 election outcome against him.

“I lost my senatorial seat through judicial banditry because there is no law that backs what happened,” Abbo asserted. “I believe the judge knows what she did, and that is why she had to send Ken Nnamani to my house to come and beg me.”

According to Abbo, former Senate President Nnamani’s visit was a confirmation of irregularities in the judicial process. “And it’s true, Ken Nnamani is still alive,” he added, emphasising that the former Senate President could corroborate his claims.

The former federal lawmaker further criticised the court’s decision, particularly the cancellation of election results in two out of five local government areas of Adamawa North without ordering a rerun.

“A situation where a judge said that an election that took place in five local governments, and she cancelled the election in two local governments, disenfranchised two local governments, 263 polling units, and did not order a re-election as the law stipulates—that is not the law, that is robbery, that is a coup against democracy,” he maintained.

Abbo also alleged that the judge was pressured to rule against him, claiming that the judicial system was compromised. “Of course, she was pressured, and I have stated it time and time again. Unfortunately, I petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), but the NJC has become a body that only punishes small judges—Magistrates and High Court Judges—but cannot punish big Judges,” he said.

Expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of accountability in the judiciary, Senator Abbo advocated the dissolution of the NJC, arguing that it had failed in its duty.

“They should dismantle the NJC, they are doing nothing,” he declared. “I am advocating that the NBA should be the one punishing judges by passing a vote of no confidence on erring judges,” he added.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Court of Appeal in Abuja had, on October 16, 2023, nullified Abbo’s election and declared Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the rightful winner of the February 25, 2023 senatorial election in Adamawa North.

A man, Godwin Anuka, who was kidnapped by suspected Fulani herders alongside his wife and two children in the Ubulu-Uku area of Delta State, has been killed in the presence of his wife and children.

The Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society and Youth Mobilisation to the Delta State Governor, Harrison Gwamnishu, disclosed this in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Gwamnishu noted that the kidnappers had abducted two persons on March 23 and taken them into the bush while demanding ransom.

He noted that while the kidnappers were hiding in the bush with the two abducted victims, they saw Anuka alongside his wife and two underage children working on their farm.

The SSA noted that the kidnappers proceeded to abduct Anuka and his family and began demanding ransom.

Gwamnishu said, “Mr Godwin Anuka, his wife, and two underage children were kidnapped on March 29, 2025, at their farm in Ubulu-Uku, Delta State. It’s the same five sets of Fulani armed kidnappers that carried out these heinous crimes.

“They kidnapped Chibueze from Ogwashi-Uku, trekked to Ubulu-Uku, and kidnapped Mr Afam. They trekked, crossed the Isah Ogwashi/Ubulu-Uku road to Power Line, and headed to a farm road towards Ani-Uje Ubulu-Uku, where they camped for days and started calling for ransom.

“It was where they camped that they saw Mr Godwin and his family and kidnapped all of them.”

He disclosed that the chairman of the local government mobilised military men to carry out a rescue operation, but after a ransom was paid, the kidnappers released some of the abducted persons, while it was revealed that Anuka was shot dead in the presence of his wife and children.

He wrote, “The Ubulu-Uku Central Vigilante team and the Nigerian Army mobilised by the Aniocha South LGA Chairman, Hon. Pastor Jude Chukwunwike, and the Ubulu-Uku Palace made an effort to rescue them.

“Yesterday, after a huge ransom was paid, the kidnappers released Chibueze, Mr Afam, late Godwin’s wife, and two children, and we were told that Mr Godwin was shot and killed right inside the farm in the presence of his wife and children.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, proved abortive as he had yet to respond to calls and messages at the time of filing this report.

PUNCH Metro reported on March 28 that Gwamnishu decried the rise in kidnappings in some parts of the state allegedly perpetrated by some Fulani herders.

Gwamnishu disclosed this while referencing the death of a female land agent, Esther Osaze, whose body was found dead a few days after she was abducted.

While expressing sadness over Esther’s death, the SSA noted that some of the victims were still in the kidnappers’ den because their families could not pay the requested ransom.

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sack Mele Kyari and other board members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stems from mounting concern over performance and a failure to meet key production targets, Presidency officials have disclosed.

In an abrupt move on Wednesday, Tinubu removed Kyari, who had been at the helm of the national oil company since 2019, as part of a broader overhaul, which the Presidency said was aimed at boosting Nigeria’s crude and gas output.

“President Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Pius Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement in the early hours of Wednesday.

Consequently, he appointed Bashir Ojulari as the new Group CEO, effective from April 2, 2025.

“The new 11-man board has Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Musa Ahmadu-Kida as non-executive chairman,” the statement read.

Multiple Presidency officials familiar with the developments said the shake-up was a performance-based reshuffle, arguing that those previously in charge “were going in circles” and some of them had “become part of the problem, rather than the solution.”

One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter officially, told our correspondent, “The President did this because of their performance because we needed to do things differently. The former people were taking us in circles, and then some of them became part of the problem.

“There needs to be a new direction. You need new people to bring new energy into the system.

“Look at them. Every one of them is capable. They are core industry professionals, real industry experts who know the industry inside and out. They are not politicians. This is the first time we have an entire cast of technocrats.”

Another official familiar with the development said the President believed that new blood was essential to jump-start production growth.

The official explained, “It is not about (Kyari’s) age. The NNPCL is a limited liability company and is not governed by civil service rules. So, it’s not about his age. There is always a need to get new brains that can deliver in new directions. The President has his mandate, which is clearly stated in the statement. He gave them his performance metrics, such as the amount of crude we produce. He asked them to review all blocks because we want to know which ones are producing and which are not.

“We have to optimise those that are not producing. He wants them to review all our assets within a certain period and give us good production. By 2030, they must be producing 3,000,000 barrels per day, and between now and 2027, we must stabilise at 2,000,000 per day.  Then, gas, we must produce 10 billion cubic meters between now and 2030. These are performance metrics, and that is how it should be done.

“But the former system was not giving us that. They have been around the same spot for years. Our OPEC quota has not improved much since 1973. We have not been able to meet them. That is why reforms are important.”

Also appointed to the new 11-man board is Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November.

Six board members and non-executive directors represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are: Bello Rabiu (North West); Yusuf Usman (North East); a former managing director of the NLNG, Babs Omotowa (North Central); Austin Avuru (South-South); David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East).

Onanuga said Mrs Lydia Jafiya, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed represents the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

“All the appointments are effective today, April 2,” he announced.

Tinubu handed out an immediate action plan to the new board, asking them to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPCL-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.

While the NNPCL reported $17bn in new investments within the sector last year, Onanuga said the administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30bn by 2027 and $60bn by 2030.

“Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.

The new board chairman, Musa Ahmadu-Kida, is from Borno State. He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.

Musa became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.

Ojulari, the new NNPC Limited Group CEO, hails from Kwara State. Until his new appointment, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, worth $2.4bn.

Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Limited, particularly their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which enabled them to resume petroleum product production after prolonged shutdowns.

Nigeria, once Africa’s leading oil producer, has struggled for years to fulfil its production quota stipulated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. While OPEC figures have often placed the country’s desired output above two million barrels per day, the NNPCL has repeatedly fallen short – citing pipeline vandalism, underinvestment, and ageing infrastructure.

Pundits say that under Kyari, some reforms were introduced, but overall production remained below target.

Refineries revamp

Operators and experts in the oil and gas sector have set an agenda for the new Group Chief Executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Ojulari who replaces the the company’s former GCEO, Kyari.

While congratulating Ojulari and the other board members newly appointed by Tinubu, stakeholders enjoined them to ensure all the refineries under the watch of the NNPCL are revamped.

The new NNPC leaders were charged to rebrand the NNPC, renew the naira-for-crude deal, divest some of the company’s assets, restore investors’ confidence, and be apolitical.

In an interview, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, described the sweeping reconstitution as a welcome development.

He said IPMAN received the news with warmest regards, saying Tinubu is reforming the oil and gas sector.

Ukadike told the new NNPCL team to ensure that the refineries resume operations at full capacity to give enough and affordable fuel to Nigerians.

He urged Ojulari and his team to ensure the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries are maximised to create more jobs for the masses.

“We received the news with the warmest regards. Mr President is renewing and reforming the oil and gas industry. And whatever that will drive both the implementation of policies and the Petroleum Industry Act is in order.

“What is imminent is change. So, we the independent marketers association welcome this.

“We congratulate the new man and charge him to ensure that all these government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna are producing enough fuel for the economy. This will also create jobs for the people amd and make petroleum products available,” he said.

Ukadike appealed to Ojulari and the board to settle the rift between the NNPCL and the Dangote refinery as far as the naira-for-crude deal is concerned.

He urged them to renew the deal and put an end to the crisis so as to enable smooth fuel distribution across the nation.

“We also want the new GCEO to use this good office to revisit the naira-for-crude deal; look into the saga and put an end to it so that it will better the distribution process and strengthen our economy,” Ukadike stated.

Similarly, the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists lauded Tinubu for the new NNPCL board appointments noting that it was a bold step towards repositioning the oil and gas industry for greater efficiency, transparency, and profitability.

In a statement signed by NAPE President, Johnbosco Uche, the association said the new board has a mandate to enhance operational efficiency, restore investor confidence, and increase commercial viability, saying this aligns with NAPE’s goals and aspirations for the industry.

The explorationists expressed confidence that the new team would bring the necessary expertise and experience to drive the oil and gas sector forward.

According to Uche, NAPE is delighted to observe that the newly appointed board comprises seasoned professionals, including Austin Avuru, a former President of NAPE who has held esteemed top management positions within the oil and gas industry.

“We look forward to collaborating with them to achieve the desired growth and development in the oil and gas sector,” the statement added.

The Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria requested that the newly appointed board take bold steps towards ensuring Nigeria achieved self-sufficiency in domestic refining and energy security.

CORAN’s Publicity Secretary, Eche Idoko, said, “CORAN congratulates the new board of the NNPCL and the new GCEO on their appointment. They are coming in at a time when the market globally is repositioning, and the Nigerian market, particularly in the midstream and downstream sectors, is receiving increasing attention.”

“We hope that the new NNPCL board will be bullish in the quest to make Nigeria self-sufficient in domestic refining and energy security. We want to see a more visible NNPCL that coordinates and works closely with local investors, especially in the emerging midstream segment. We look forward to them building on the legacy of the last administration and ensuring that Nigeria becomes a refining hub.”

Similarly, the National President of the Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, asked the board to ensure a daily production of 700,000 barrels per day in refining strictly for domestic use to achieve energy independence.

“Our message is simple: wherever Mele Kyari’s administration stopped, the new board should take it to the next level. They must ensure that the oil and gas sector grows, driving the economic value that it should in Nigeria,” Gillis-Harry said.

“We want to see discussions around how we can increase local refining capacity. This could start with a boost of 700,000 barrels per day dedicated strictly to domestic refining. This would require new work on how communities can cooperate with the NNPCL and the government for a win-win situation.”

Hope rising

Meanwhile, an expert in the oil and gas industry, Professor Emeritus Wumi Iledare, has expressed high hopes that the new NNPC leadership will not fail as their failure is a bad signal for the country.

In an interview with our correspondent, Iledare said this was the first time the NNPC had a board that was apolitical, expressing optimism in the capacity of the people he called “core professionals.”

“Finally, NNPCL has a board that is majorly apolitical by nature with the appointments of timber and caliber professionals. It is the dawn of a new era for NNPCL to rekindle, restructure, and rebound itself along the intent of PIA 2021,” he said

Iledare listed what he expects the new board to focus on immediately: “First is (settling) the dilemma naira-for-crude deal with local refineries; second is selling NNPCL shares to the public with a limit to what individual can buy and restrict corporate buyers; third, divest some joint venture shares in divested international oil companies’ shares; fourth, rekindle, restructure, and rebound NNPC Limited along the intent of the PIA.”

He urged Ojulari to “promote the economy of scale mentality and correct the apparent diseconomies of scale bounding the potential of NNPCL.

He added, “Bayo Oujulari, Austin Avuru, Yusuf Usman, Rabiu Bello, David Ige, Babs Omotowa are professionals I know personally. I pray that Nigeria does not get them. It is like having six GCEOs.”

Speaking on the sack of Kyari, the don posited that “he was thrown into the fire the way he was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari without following the process of the PIA.”

He spoke further that it is difficult for a leopard to change its skin without a surgical operation.

“Going from GMD to GCEO was difficult for him and working with an incompetent board imposed on him was difficult. So, I admired his attitude to risk. He was a risk seeker but politically constrained and very too transactionally minded. He should have resigned the way his CFO retired. Best wishes to him.

“His exit, notwithstanding, the change is the dawn of a new era for NNPCL. For the first time ever, the NNPCL has an apolitical Board with a good understanding of what it takes to have a commercial mentality,” Iledare maintained.

Farewell for Kyari

Following the new appointments, the management and staff of NNPC on Wednesday welcomed Ojulari and the Board of Directors.

A statement by the company’s spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said, “We extend our profound appreciation to the outgoing CCEO, Mr Mele Kyari, and the former Board Members for their selfless and dedicated service to the Company and to the nation.

“Mr Kyari’s leadership and tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on NNPC Ltd., and we are sincerely grateful for his outstanding contributions.

“We wish him and all departing Board Members continued success and fulfilment in their future endeavours.”

The PUNCH reports that Kyari’s removal came at a time when the NNPC refused to sell crude to the Dangote refinery in naira as ordered by the President last year.

The seeming collapse of the deal led to the suspension of fuel naira sales to local marketers in naira.

This has since led to a hike in petrol prices from N860 per litre to N930 or more, depending on the location.

Tompolo lauds Tinubu

Chairman, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, has lauded President Tinubu for his “careful selection of seasoned professionals” as the new Management Board of the NNPCL.

He also congratulated the newly appointed 11-member board and management of the NNPCL.

In a personally signed statement made available to journalists in Warri on Wednesday, Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation, noted that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited recognised the new appointments “as a pivotal moment in the journey of the NNPCL and the Nigerian oil and gas industry.”

The statement read, “Indeed, this decision by Mr. President underscores his administration’s dedication to ensuring that only competent hands are entrusted with optimising the vast benefits of our nation’s oil and gas sector.

“The challenges and opportunities before this new management and board are immense, but we are confident in their ability to drive the ongoing restructuring of the NNPCL to greater heights.

“Under their stewardship, we believe that the President’s mandate to ramp up local refining capacity and increase Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2mbpd in record time will be realised and surpassed.

“As our company has always done, TSSNL remains steadfast in its commitment to partnering with the NNPCL to secure and enhance Nigeria’s oil production capabilities. Our expertise in oil asset protection and our deep-rooted presence in the Niger Delta position us as a reliable ally in ensuring that the nation’s resources are safeguarded and utilised efficiently for the collective benefit of all stakeholders.”