President Bola Tinubu has not directed the suspension of Mallam Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), contrary to circulating speculations. This information was disclosed by sources within the Presidency on Saturday night.
Social media platforms were flooded with posts on Saturday evening, claiming that President Tinubu had ordered the immediate suspension of Kyari as NNPC GCEO. These posts gained significant traction, especially since they surfaced shortly after the Presidency announced the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
However, multiple sources within the Presidency have confirmed that there are no plans to suspend Kyari from his position as the NNPC GCEO.
One source stated, “We became aware of the alleged suspension through social media posts. But I can confirm that there is no such directive from the President. Nigerians are known to engage in trends, and someone may have simply fabricated these posts.”
“There is absolutely no truth in the claim that the President has suspended the NNPC GCEO. We should not be concerned because the Petroleum Industry Act clearly outlines the process for the removal of the NNPC GCEO or any member of the NNPC Board,” the source added.
An aide to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation also emphasized that they have not received any directive from the President regarding Kyari’s suspension. The aide dismissed the reports as fake news, urging the public to disregard them.
The sources further revealed that the Presidency does not intend to provide an official response to these rumours, as they do not want to dignify the spread of misinformation.
