The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) has debunked claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that it has been hijacked by “corporate cabals” around President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku had in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on Wednesday, expressed astonishment at how the NNPC “placed its retail division under the management of OVH, a company in which Oando, headed by Wale Tinubu, owns 49 percent”.
Atiku lamented that his intention to privatise the NNPC and increase its transparency has been overshadowed, describing it as “the criminal hijack of the company by corporate cabals around the president”.
In its reaction through a statement signed by Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, in Abuja on Thursday, the NNPC described Atiku’s claim as a false alarm.
According to the state-owned oil firm, neither Wale Tinubu nor the President has any interest in the OVH acquisition.
Maintaining that it is a commercially-focused and profit-driven company managed by professionals who are committed to adding value to the nation, the NNPC explained that investment decisions by its management are strictly determined on the basis of commercial viability and national interest.
The statement reads: “The attention of NNPC Ltd has been drawn to a press release signed by Mr. Paul Ibe, a Media Adviser to the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“In the statement, the former Vice President was quoted to have lamented “the criminal hijack of the NNPC by corporate cabals around the current President”.
“He was also quoted to have listed the retention of Mr. Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd as a compensation for the alleged acquisition of NNPC Retail Ltd by OVH in which he claimed Mr Wale Tinubu held 49% stake.
“He further alleged that the NNPC Retail Ltd—OVH acquisition deal was part of a grand scheme by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to integrate his personal business interests into Nigeria’s public enterprises at the federal level.
“NNPC Ltd wishes to set the records straight with the following facts: We are a commercially-focused and profit-driven company managed by professionals who are committed to adding value to the nation.
“Investment decisions by NNPC Ltd Management are strictly determined on the basis of commercial viability and national interest.
“At the time NNPC Ltd acquired OVH in 2022, Oando (in which Mr. Wale Tinubu has equity interest), had fully divested its equity in OVH to the two other partners – Vitol and Helios. Oando actually began its divestment in 2016, with Vitol and Helios coming in as equity partners, leading to the change of name from Oando to OVH. In 2019, Oando fully divested its equity interest in OVH resulting in Vitol and Helios holding 50% equity interests respectively.
“Upon acquisition of OVH by NNPC Ltd, both NNPC Retail Ltd and OVH effectively became subsidiaries of NNPC Ltd. However, based on professional advice and sound commercial considerations, NNPC Ltd opted to merge NNPC Retail Limited into OVH, and thereafter retain NNPC Retail Limited as the company name post-merger.
“The first step of merging NNPC Retail Ltd into OVH has been completed and the post-merger renaming as NNPC Retail Ltd is ongoing.
“Contrary to the false alarm raised, neither Wale Tinubu nor the President has any interest in the OVH acquisition.
“As a businessman, the former Vice President should know that effectiveness in business leadership is best measured by balance sheets and bottom lines rather than pedestrian considerations.
“The management of NNPC Ltd, under the leadership of Mr. Mele Kyari, has done very well in growing the company’s fortunes as shown in the 2023 Audited Financial Statement (AFS), where it reported N3.3 trillion as profit after tax.
“NNPC Ltd as a commercial entity is devoid of political interest and shall continue to conduct its business full of commitment to national interest and value creation for the benefit of all stakeholders. NNPC Ltd shall resist any attempt to draw its Board and Management into partisan politics.”