“Why I Resigned As Group Chief Executive Officer NNPC Ltd” – Ojulari

By Charles Igbo

Denials, allegedly, from the Presidential Villa notwithstanding, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Petroleum Company Ltd, has confirmed his resignation from the scandal-prone Company. He, however, dismissed the news which made the rounds on Saturday that he was forced to resign by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukayode and the Director General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi, after both men  arranged his “abduction” by security personnel.

Ojulari said he resigned voluntarily and on his own terms after due consultations with “higher authorities” in Abuja. He, however, failed to name those he consulted.

The story of Ojulari’s forced resignation was first broken by the Peoples Gazette. But in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, Ojulari dismissed his abduction as fiction, fit for Nollywood. “We categorically state that the story is nothing more than a poorly scripted work of fiction better suited for a Nollywood thriller than credible journalism”, he said.

The text of Ojulari’s statement entitled  “REBUTTAL: BAYO OJULARI CLARIFIES RESIGNATION, DISMISSES ABDUCTION CLAIMS AS FICTION”, reads in part:

“Unlike the Gazette’s dramatic tale of midnight kidnappings and shadowy coups, Mr Ojulari voluntarily tendered his resignation after due consultations with higher authorities in Abuja.

“His decision followed the recent official trip to Kigali for an oil and gas conference – a legitimate business engagement aimed at advancing Nigeria’s energy sector interest

“I was neither arrested nor strong-armed into resigning. In fact, the only ‘pressure’ I faced was from my own conscience and commitment to accountability after the unnecessary controversy stirred around the Kigali trip.

“My resignation was a personal decision, submitted through the appropriate channels – not at gunpoint in some spy movie scenario.

“If I were to be ‘forced out’, it certainly wouldn’t be in silence – I’d have, at least, negotiated a better headline.

“As for the bizarre insinuations about British-Nigerian businesswoman, Olatimbo Ayinde, I maintain that I have no personal or professional dealings with her and finds it curious that her name keeps appearing in unrelated matters.

“I’ve spent decades in the oil and gas industry, building a reputation on transparency and expertise – not gossip columns.

“While Peoples Gazette may thrive on conspiracy theories and clickbait, the truth remains simple: Mr Ojulari resigned honorably, the NNPCL continues its operations uninterrupted, and Nigeria’s energy sector remains focused on progress – not Palace intrigue.

“We urge the public to disregard this fictional account, and instead rely on verified statements from official channels. After all, in the words of Mr Ojulari, ‘If I were going to stage a dramatic exit, I’d at least make sure it came with a soundtrack and better lighting.”

Ojulari goes into the history of Nigeria’s oil industry as the shortest serving Boss of the NNPC and, the first to, perhaps, voluntarily resign from office.

He was appointed on 2nd April, 2025, by the President Bola Tinubu Government after the President sacked the former Board and then Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.

Ojulari’s short tenure has, in the past couple of weeks, dogged by petitions and protests against him from some quarters alleging unwholesome businesses.

No formal statement has been released by either the Presidency or the NNPCL.