President Bola Tinubu does not interfere with operations, including recruitment, promotions, appointment among others, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the spokesperson for the company, Femi Soneye has said.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Soneye stated that operations of the NNPCL are not in anyway influenced by ethnicity, tribe, religion, or political affiliation as claimed in an opinion by analyst Farooq Kperogi.
Reacting to the piece written by Kperogi and titled, “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC”, the company spokesperson said decisions within the NNPCL are guided by merit, business requirements, and expertise.”
He said the allegation by Kperogi that major positions at the NNPCL is now occupied by Yoruba people is full of misconceptions.
Soneye said Tinubu never interferes with leadership operations in the company.
His words, “On the contrary, his administration has introduced transformative policies that have added immense value to the oil and gas sector and the broader Nigerian economy.
“President Tinubu’s approach has been to empower institutions like the NNPC to operate independently while fostering a conducive environment for growth and innovation. His reforms have set a benchmark that has significantly improved the sector, surpassing the achievements of many of his predecessors,” he said.
Soneye further stated that it is sad that a professor of Mr Kperogi’s standing would resort to and play up the issue of ethnic identities in the configuration of the work team in NNPCL just to demonise the president.