The Christian and Muslim Youth Forum (CMYF) has extended profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the strategic and courageous appointment of Bayo Ojulari as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

In a statement signed on Sunday in Abuja by the Conveners, Ustaz Yusuf Ibrahim and Deacon Sunday Jonathan, the Forum stated that his choice is not only a testament to the President’s commitment to restoring integrity and efficiency in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, but also a bold statement that leadership must be entrusted to those with proven competence, courage, and a clean track record.

According to the Forum, Ojulari’s emergence as NNPCL GMD reflects a clear departure from the past and a forward-looking approach that prioritizes merit, reform, and national interest.

The Forum emphasized that reforms of the magnitude currently underway in the NNPCL are not just administrative but transformative, stressing that as with any true transformation, this change is ambidextrous and carries both pain and painstaking responsibility.

“Mr. Ojulari has taken on a herculean task that demands not only technical expertise but also resilience, mental fortitude, and unwavering focus.

“The NNPCL has, for years, been seen as a symbol of missed opportunities, rent-seeking, and entrenched inefficiencies. Cleaning such a deeply entrenched system is not a walk in the park.

“It requires dismantling old networks of patronage, confronting vested interests, and disrupting long-standing habits of impunity. These efforts are mentally taxing, and we do not take for granted the enormous pressure on Mr. Ojulari as he navigates this path.

“Indeed, it is painful—not just because of the effort required—but because the beneficiaries of the old, broken system will not simply step aside without resistance. These forces of retrogression are likely to deploy everything within their means—propaganda, sabotage, and political manipulation—to frustrate and possibly derail the reforms. We are aware that corruption does not retreat quietly; it fights back viciously, and that fight has already begun.

“In light of this, the CMYF calls on President Bola Tinubu to remain unwavering in his support for Mr. Ojulari. The kind of institutional overhauls that are needed at the NNPCL can only succeed if the leadership at the top is not only committed but also protected from undue interference and equipped with the necessary political backing to act decisively.

“As a Forum made up of committed Christian and Muslim youths who believe in a just, prosperous, and united Nigeria, we declare our full and unflinching support for Mr. Ojulari and his ongoing reforms. We stand with him, and we urge other patriotic Nigerians to do the same. He represents a critical pillar in the building of a new Nigeria—one that works for all and is not hijacked by a privileged few.

“At the same time, we must be clear: support does not mean blind loyalty. Our faith traditions teach us the value of accountability, and as such, we shall not hesitate to hold Mr. Ojulari accountable should he ever deviate from the path of transparency, justice, and service to the people. Our support is rooted in principle and guided by our hope for a better Nigeria.

“Once again, we commend President Tinubu for this bold and visionary appointment. We believe that with the right support and public vigilance, this moment can become a turning point in the history of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” the statement read.