Oil thieves, few retired NNPC staff, idle lawyers behind sack Kyari campaign, Group alleges

…Calls on police to arrest the ‘fraudulent’ group

A group under the auspices of Nigeria Accountability Monitors(NAM) has lambasted the Coalition of Nigerian Legal Practitioners for calling for the sack of NNPC GCEO, Mele Kyari. It also accused some recently retired senior and management staff of conniving with “idle lawyers and other hirelings” to attack the NNPC’s Mele Kyari/Umar Ajiya- led management.

They also called on the Nigerian police to arrest the “fraudulent group of lawyers” and for Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) to continue to “expose politicians using the garb lawyer groups”.

A media statement signed by the group’s Chairman, Sabiu Ibrahim described the lawyers coalition led by Adesina Bernard as “mischief-makers acting the script of a few among the recently retired officials of the NNPC in an overhaul exercise meant to reposition the company”.

Sabiu, in the statement, described leader of the anti-Kyari lawyers group, Adesina Bernard as “hacks working against a highly proactive Kyari/Ajiya led management team that has been exposing illegal oil refineries run by big thieves in the country”.

He then queried: ” Where does the Coalition of Lawyers stand? With oil thieves and mischievous persons who made good fortunes working under the Kyari/Ajiya management team but recently retired to pave way for routine, legitimate succession? Or are they with the big thieves running illegal refineries? Why are they openly opposed to the transparency in managing the NNPC as a company in which all Nigerians are now equal stakeholders?”

Ibrahim, in the statement, said “NAM has hereby given the Coalition of Lawyers 48 hours ultimatum to tell Nigerians one reform policy of the Kyari/Ajiya management team that is not necessary for the growth and economic development of Nigeria; or just shut up”, and “stop crying wolf where there is none”.

NAM also challenged the lawyers group to name one person in the NNPC, at the moment, who they think has “the transparency and bravery to break the NNPC away from the inglorious past, than Kyari and Ajiya”.

The group then warned the lawyers: ” We will no longer fold our arms and watch ethnicity promoters being sponsored by oil thieves, attempting to needlessly attack the Kyari/Ajiya management team that has successfully turned around the fortunes of the NNPC the way no one has ever done. Enough is enough”.

NAM also noted: “Though groups from the North have maintained unjustified silence over the attack on their illustrious sons in the current NNPCL management, we are fully prepared to legitimately defend the Kyari/Ajiya reforms, to put an end media attacks guided by regional coloration”.

The group then declared:
“Dependable sources have also revealed to us, that some few persons at management level within the NNPC are also conniving with hired outside forces, to undermine the sterling achievements of the Kyari/Ajiya- led management; or at least give a dent to their credible leadership of this African oil giant.They are nothing but backstabbers and they won’t succeed in their demonic agenda against Nigeria and her efficient, transparent NNPC management”.