Alleged Financial Mismanagement, Abuse Of Power: Groups Call For NNPCL CEO Kyari s Sack

The Niger Delta Coalition (NDC), a group comprising 26 youth organizations from the Niger Delta region, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately dismiss Mele Kyari, the Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) due to allegations of misconduct and other abuses.

The NDC made the demand through a peaceful protest held in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday.

The protest was led by key figures from various organizations within the NDC, including Oris Bakpa from the Niger Delta Youth Alliance, Bridget Oghenekohwo from Niger Delta Women for Change, Elvis Abebiyein from the Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Network, and Peter Okprgboro from the South-South United Youth Association.

The protest, which gathered hundreds of participants, took place outside the NNPC building, a central hub for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

Protesters, equipped with placards, urged President Tinubu to dismiss Kyari.

Bakpa, addressing the press, called for President Tinubu to take swift action, remove Kyari from his position, and launch a thorough investigation into his behavior.

He claimed the demand for Kyari’s dismissal was due to allegations of financial mismanagement, abuse of power, lack of vision, underperformance, and autocratic behavior.

Bakpa highlighted the NNPCL’s failure to operate dormant refineries across Nigeria, despite a significant allocation of funds for their rehabilitation.

He said this deficiency had led to excessive reliance on imported petroleum products, contributing to a high inflation rate of 25.80% in August 2023.

He also expressed concern over alleged irregularities in the distribution of oil production contracts.

In response, a senior official from the NMDPRA urged the protesters to take their grievances to Abuja for proper attention.