NNPCL GCEO Mele Kyari
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A coalition of 50 civil society organisations has strongly condemned comments allegedly made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole against the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), describing the remarks as inflammatory, defamatory, and damaging to the nation’s economic interests.
The coalition, operating under the banner of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice, accused the former Edo State governor of engaging in political grandstanding after he reportedly described the management of the national oil company as “a bunch of thieves” during a Senate session.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, the coalition said the comments represented a dangerous departure from parliamentary decorum and risked undermining public confidence in one of Nigeria’s most strategic institutions.
According to the group, “Senator Oshiomhole’s sweeping characterization of the management of NNPCL is not only unparliamentary, defamatory and populist grandstanding, but also a deliberate attempt to poison the public space and incite citizens against a vital national asset for cheap political points.”
The coalition further rejected suggestions that the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari, deliberately avoided appearing before a Senate committee investigating issues in the petroleum sector.
The civil society groups maintained that Kyari complied fully with administrative procedures by formally notifying the Senate committee of his inability to attend the scheduled hearing due to a pre-arranged medical trip abroad.
“Mallam Mele Kyari did not shun or evade the Senate Committee. In strict compliance with due process, the GCEO officially transmitted a formal written correspondence to the leadership of the committee before the hearing, informing the upper chamber of his pre-scheduled medical trip abroad,” the statement said.
The coalition also disclosed that Kyari delegated a team of senior NNPCL officials to represent the corporation at the hearing, ensuring that legislative oversight activities were not disrupted.
“To turn a legitimate, officially documented medical trip by a public servant into a theatrical display of legislative rage is a low blow, even by political standards,” the coalition said, adding that illness remains “a human vulnerability” and that seeking medical treatment after officially notifying parliament should not be criminalised.
The group alleged that the criticism directed at the NNPCL leadership may be politically motivated as political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the coalition, some politicians appear eager to create scapegoats for longstanding structural challenges in the petroleum industry despite ongoing reforms under the current management.
“It is clear that certain political actors heading toward the 2027 political cycle are looking for high-profile institutional scapegoats to blame for deep-seated structural issues in the energy sector—issues that the current NNPCL management is aggressively fixing through transparent commercialization,” the statement noted.
The coalition warned that branding a state-backed corporate institution as a criminal enterprise on the floor of the Senate could have serious consequences for investor confidence and Nigeria’s international reputation.
The group argued that such remarks could undermine ongoing reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and discourage potential investors in the oil and gas sector.
It further credited Kyari’s administration with improving transparency within the corporation, citing the publication of audited financial statements as one of the notable reforms implemented during his tenure.
The coalition therefore urged public officials and lawmakers to exercise restraint in their public utterances and avoid comments capable of eroding confidence in key national institutions.
It called for legislative debates to be guided by facts, evidence, and institutional responsibility rather than political rhetoric, insisting that accountability must be pursued within the framework of due process and respect for established procedures.
The group maintained that while oversight of public institutions remains a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly, such oversight should not degenerate into personal attacks or statements that could damage Nigeria’s economic interests.
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