Oil and gas experts in Nigeria have withdrawn their earlier demand for the removal of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari.
The Association of Energy Policy Development said it initially relied on incomplete and misleading information when it called for Ojulari’s resignation.
According to the association’s President, Ibrahim Danjuma, further investigations, document reviews and consultations with industry stakeholders showed that its earlier criticism was unfair.
The group had previously raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s petroleum resources.
Danjuma said the association had therefore formally retracted its call for Ojulari’s removal.
Ojulari had also faced criticism over allegations concerning the award of oil blocks to associates during a recent licensing round by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). NNPCL had defended its chief executive against the allegations.
