For Mele Kyari, It’s the End of an Era

Mele Kyari’s reign at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) was never dull. Whether it was the crude oil intrigues or the political balancing acts, the man’s tenure was marked with bold decisions and controversies. But like all power plays, the curtain has now fallen. President Bola Tinubu, once his steadfast backer, has finally shown him the door.

For six years, Kyari wielded influence in an industry where fortunes rise and fall with a whisper. Appointed in 2019 under Muhammadu Buhari, Kyari manoeuvered through Nigeria’s complex oil terrain, securing billion-dollar deals while fending off accusations of inefficiency. Even when age limits loomed and critics sharpened their knives, Tinubu kept him in place. Until now.

The president’s reshuffle was swift and decisive, removing not just Kyari but the entire NNPC board appointed in November 2023. The official line? A drive for operational efficiency, investor confidence, and economic growth. The reality, if observers are to be believed, is a mix of political recalibration, industry pressure, and the need for a fresh start in Nigeria’s most strategic sector.

Enter Bashir Ojulari, the man tasked with steering NNPC’s next chapter. A seasoned oil executive with global experience, he takes over at a time when the company faces ambitious production targets—two million barrels per day by 2027, three million by 2030. Lofty goals, but with crude oil, promises are easier made than kept.

Kyari leaves behind a legacy as complex as the pipelines he once oversaw. His tenure saw refinery rehabilitation efforts and increased investment flows, yet fuel scarcity and subsidy debates remained constant headaches. In an industry known for its opaque dealings, he projected transparency while managing the undercurrents of political survival.

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    PAP Distributes Laptops to Final Year, PG Scholarship Students

    PAP Distributes Laptops to Final Year, PG Scholarship Students

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has commenced the distribution of laptops to final year and post-graduate students under its scholarship scheme in partnering universities across the country.

    Already,  64 PAP scholarship beneficiaries, made up of 25 students from Nile University and 39 from Baze University, have been  presented with their laptops  in the first phase of the distribution. The total figure comprises 60 final year, one doctor of philosophy, and three masters degree students.

    Speaking at the presentation ceremonies  at Nile and Baze universities, the PAP Administrator, Dr.  Dennis Otuaro, said that the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the scholarship beneficiaries during his tour of partnering institutions in 2024.

    He said the office recognised the usefulness of the mobile computing device to the students’ academic success, especially as they prepare to write their final year projects, thesis and dissertations.

    Otuaro, who was represented respectively at the events by PAP’s acting head of administration,  Ebikpolade Zorab,  and Secretary to the PAP boss, Ebimene Jackson,  urged the scholars to make good use of the laptops and justify the objective behind the gesture.

    Addressing the students, he said: “You are the first set of PAP scholarship students that are receiving these laptops, and we will also extend this (distribution) to other beneficiaries in other institutions that we are partnering with.

    “I advise and encourage you to make good use of it for your academic progress. With these laptops, if you were to make a low grade in your project, we expect that you will score excellent grades because you now have portable computers to enhance your academic endeavours.”

    Otuaro reiterated his leadership’s unwavering commitment to closing the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta, while working to ensure sustainable peace, security, stability and development in the region.

    He further expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his strong support for the PAP and also backing the educational, vocational and other initiatives of the programme to achieve its mandate for the Niger Delta under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Earlier, the Head of Education, PAP, Dr Charles Ariye, had stated that scholarship beneficiaries had not received laptops in the past six years, adding that the office is interested in enhancing the digital literacy of its students.

    “We are in a digital age. You are doing a lot with your phones, and with your laptop, you can do more. This effort is also aimed at aligning with the PAP’s mandate to provide quality university education,” he said.

    The Registrar of Nile University, David Olowola, and his counterpart at the Baze University, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, during courtesy visits to them by the PAP officials, commended the administrator for deeming it necessary to provide laptops to the scholarship students to facilitate their academics.

    They also stated the desire of their institutions to continually partner with the programme to develop the requisite manpower for national development and advancement.

    Some beneficiaries of the laptops, including the leaders of PAP scholarship students in the two universities, Eperetun Gboroteiye (Nile) and Pedro Timotubo (Baze), as well as Oyinlayefa Ogiriki, Mina Ikiba, Friday Dunu and Martha Tuwabere, thanked the PAP helmsman for the personal computers (PC), saying it would help them a great deal in their programmes.

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    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has commenced the distribution of laptops to final year and post-graduate students under its scholarship scheme in partnering universities across the country. Already,  64 PAP scholarship

    Ex-Abia Gov, Senator Orji Refutes Fraud Allegations

    Ex-Abia Gov, Senator Orji Refutes Fraud Allegations

    Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has strongly condemned a recent publication that falsely accused him of fraudulent activities in connection with Effdee Nigeria Limited.

    In a statement from his liaison office, Senator Orji decried the report as a deliberate attempt to smear his hard-earned reputation.

    The publication, he said, was riddled with falsehoods, calling it “baseless” and “malicious,” and accused its authors of failing to conduct proper fact-checking.

    One of the glaring inaccuracies cited in the statement was the claim that Senator Orji served as Governor in 2016 and 2017,  whereas his  tenure ended in May 2015.

    The statement also dismissed as false any associations between Senator Orji and Mr. Uchenna Erondu or Mr. Austin Akuma, emphasising that neither individual had any role in his administration.

    Senator Orji further denied any knowledge of or connection to Effdee Nigeria Limited – the company wrongly linked to him in the report.

    “This publication is not only false but also maliciously intended to damage Senator Orji’s hard-earned reputation. He is a man known for his integrity and dedication to public service,” the statement read.

    Consequently, Senator Orij demanding a full retraction of the story across all platforms where it was published, including major national newspapers and online outlets.

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    Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has strongly condemned a recent publication that falsely accused him of fraudulent activities in connection with Effdee Nigeria Limited. In a statement

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