The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims that its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, has been sacked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On the backdrop of the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele on Friday, there was speculation on social media that Kyari has been relieved of his job.
Recall following Tinubu’s suspension of Emefiele, he was consequently arrested by the Department of State Security.
But, Garba Deen Muhammad, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, told Daily Post on Saturday the claim is untrue.
According to him, “it is the handiwork of mischief markers.”
Also, sources told Whistler on Saturday that the President has not given such a directive for the suspension of Kyari as NNPC boss.
“We got to know about the purported suspension through social media posts. But I can confirm to you that there is no such directive coming from the President. Nigerians are known to play a lot with trends, and someone may just have sat down somewhere to make such posts.
“There is no iota of truth in that post claiming that the President has suspended the NNPC GCEO. There is nothing to be worried about because the Petroleum Industry Act is clear on how the NNPC GCEO or any member of the NNPC Board could be removed,” one of the sources said.
An aide to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) noted that they have not received such a directive from the President.
“Please disregard those reports because they are fake news. We don’t have such directive from the President to suspend Kyari,” the aide said.
