Primate Ayodele Sends Fresh Message to Top Tinubu's Appointee Amid Plot to Remove Oil Chief
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
Oke Afa, Lagos state - Primate Elijah Ayodele has once again warned Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, about his potential removal from office.
This is coming after the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church warned about Ojulari’s removal earlier in August.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng had reported that Ojulari raised an alarm, alleging that his life is under serious threat.
The NNPCL boss spoke out when he received the delegation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), led by its president, Festus Osifo, at the company’s headquarters, Abuja.
Responding to comments made by the PENGASSAN president on the stability of the NNPCL and stability in the oil sector, Ojulari explained that, despite the alleged threats to his life and the lives of some management staff, he is determined to ensure that the refineries work effectively.
He said:
“I’m not hiding to anybody. I’m not a politician. I will have to learn a bit more about politics, but it’s a development plan for me, right? And I’m ready to learn.”
Amid concern, in a new statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, sent to Legit.ng on Friday, August 29, Primate Ayodele stated that the GCEO has offended a lot of people in the industry, adding that they have compiled lots of documentation against him. He stated that there is no amount of impression he wants to give that will make those who are fighting him want to allow him to remain in the system.
He explained that Ojulari is doing some things that do not sit well with those who put him in charge, and that he needs to do a lot of work for him not to be removed.
The cleric said:
“The NNPC GCEO has offended people in the industry, including those in charge of the upstream and downstream, and there are a lot of documents against him. People who appointed him and the ‘big boys’ in the industry are the ones fighting him.
“There is no amount of impression that he wants to give them that will make them want him to continue in the system; they have seen him as sore in the system. He needs to do a lot of work, but there are some things that he is doing which the authority will not like.”
'Ojulari knows oil thieves'
Furthermore, the prophet shared that Ojulari knows people who are stealing Nigeria’s crude, stating that only a few people are working with him faithfully and that if care is not taken, he will be probed and arrested.
He stated that Ojulari has secrets in his hands that are attracting the constant fights, but warned him against keeping silent because they will eventually hurt him.
He said:
“There are people stealing our crude, which he knows and needs to report to a higher authority. Only a few hands are working with him faithfully; the man is already in trouble, only God will save him, not to be removed, probed, and arrested.
“He must be careful because there are secrets in his hands which will make powers deal with him. There is some rot in NNPC that he needs to speak out about; if he keeps silent, his image will be tainted.”
“There are a lot of shady things in the NNPC, and there is a need for the account of the corporation to be reviewed over the last 10 years. Ojulari is hiding what will humiliate him and hurt him; he needs to speak up before it’s too late.”
Alleged plans to discredit Ojulari
Primate Ayodele mentioned that some are planning to import adulterated fuel in the country to discredit Ojulari, noting that the GCEO has great plans for Nigeria, including a crash of petrol price, but the system will clean him up.
He said:
“Some people are planning to import adulterated fuel into the country, he needs to be careful. He has good intentions, he wants to crash the cost of petrol, but it will be difficult. He also wants to do a thorough cleanup of the NNPC, but it won’t be possible because there are too many enemies, and the place will clean him instead. They are ready to attack him spiritually and physically.“
Legit.ng reports that Kwara-born Ojulari is an engineer and expert in petroleum, process and production engineering, serving as the NNPCL GCEO since April 2025. President Bola Tinubu appointed Ojulari as a replacement for Mele Kyari, an appointee of late Muhammadu Buhari.
Ojulari worked at Shell where he retired from his positions in July 2021.
Demand for Ojulari's resignation
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Niger Delta youth leaders blocked the entrance and exit gates of the NNPCL Towers in Abuja, demanding the resignation of Ojulari.
The Niger Delta youths during the protest accused Ojulari of corruption and mismanagement.
Workers were forced to park their cars far away from the gates of the Towers due to the protest.
Source: Legit.ng
