NNPC: Controversy Trails Ewubare’s Resignation

By Fola James

The dusts raised by the sudden resignation of Roland Ewubare, the Chief Operating Officer, Joint Ventures and Business Development, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, have not settled yet.

Ewubare resigned from the group last Wednesday adding, to join his family in the United States of America, USA, he said.

Before his redeployment a few months ago, Ewubare was the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investments and Management Services (NAPIMS) and was the Managing Director of the Integrated Data Services Limited, IDSL.

There are, however,many negative suggestions to his resignation. But he denied being frustrated out of the government owned oil firm.

“I’m leaving to return to my family in the United States. I have been in NNPC for five years, mostly away from them. With the pandemic, I can’t travel to visit them and they can’t come to visit me. It’s tough.

At the core, I’m a family man. Stepping down solely for personal family reasons. That’s the truth,” he said in response to insinuations that his exit from NNPC was caused by the disagreement with, Melee Kyari, NNPC Group Managing Director.

He explained that there’s no problem with the NNPC boss, who he has supported since he replaced Maikanti Baru in June 2019.

Baru later died in May this year.

Ewubare said his resignation arose from the need to join his family in the  USA, having been away from them for so long due to the COVID 19 lock down.

But the magazine learnt that Ewubare has been dissatisfied with his fortune which has nose-dived since the new management came into office.

Apart from losing his former choice position in the corporation, Ewubare believed his closeness to the former NNPC boss has been used to victimize him, close sources say.

“There was no other option than to resign from his joy, which he considered no longer fulfilling since the new management came into office,” a source said.

The NNPC had in May said the major shake-up was carried out to set the corporation in the right direction.

It said those redeployed got their positions based on merit and competence.

According to Dr. Kennie Obateru, the spokesperson of the corporation, top management staff of the corporation were redeployed based on their verifiable track records of performance.