The new NNPC leadership sabotage claims are revealed by Bayo Ojulari, citing internal and external efforts to derail anti-corruption reforms

The new leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), led by Bayo Ojulari, has raised the alarm over a coordinated NNPC leadership sabotage campaign.

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This campaign, they say, is being waged by saboteurs both within and outside the organisation, actively working against efforts to transform the company into a corruption-free entity.

In a statement signed by the management on Friday, NNPC Ltd. disclosed it uncovered an emerging syndicate of known and faceless actors at various levels.

These actors are reportedly spreading lies and misinformation to discredit the new leadership and derail the ongoing transformation into a corruption-free and performance-driven energy company, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate.

Bayo Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari, who was removed by President Tinubu as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC on April 2.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has uncovered an emerging coordinated sabotage campaign being waged by a syndicate of known and faceless actors, both outside and within various levels of the organisation,” the statement read partly.

Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.

It further explained that this group is actively spreading lies and misinformation simply to discredit NNPC Ltd.’s leadership and derail the organisation’s ongoing transformation.

The statement described these actions as calculated efforts by those threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change.

Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports designed to distract the leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of the dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.

“These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change—clear evidence of the lengths to which they will go to obstruct the transformation of Nigeria’s foremost energy institution,” the NNPC leadership stated.

The new NNPC board anticipates a surge of defamatory content in the days and weeks ahead, but stressed that no amount of sabotage will deter the ongoing reforms within the company.

“NNPC Ltd remains undeterred. The transformation is underway, and no amount of sabotage will stop it,” the statement concluded.

“We urge our dedicated staff, stakeholders, and all patriotic Nigerians to stay focused, ignore the noise and not be discouraged. We remain on a mission.”

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The NNPC has yet to name a new spokesman following the resignation of Olufemi Soneye on Saturday.