Mr Bayo Bashir Ojulari has declared that he resigned from office as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), voluntarily and not under compulsion.
Ojulari specifically said that the only ‘pressure’ he faced was from his conscience and commitment to accountability after the unnecessary controversy stirred around the Kigali, Rwanda trip.
He therefore said that his resignation was a personal decision, submitted through the appropriate channels and not at gunpoint in some spy movie scenario.
Ojulari, who has been on the spotlight of the anti-graft agency as earlier reported by Forefront News, further said that contrary to insinuations in certain quarters, there was no drama whatsoever around his resignation, stressing that he did so voluntarily.
Ojulari’s explanation was contained in a statement titled: “REBUTTAL: BAYO OJULARI CLARIFIES RESIGNATION, DISMISSES ‘ABDUCTION’ CLAIMS AS FICTION,” in which he pointedly said that contrary to the sensational and wildly inaccurate report by Peoples Gazette which alleged that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, was “abducted and forced to resign” by security officials, stated that the story was nothing more than a poorly scripted work of fiction, better suited for a Nollywood thriller than credible journalism.
It stated; “Unlike the Gazette’s dramatic tale of midnight kidnappings and shadowy coups, Mr. Ojulari voluntarily tendered his resignation after due consultations with higher authorities in Abuja.
“His decision followed the recent official trip to Kigali for an oil and gas conference—a legitimate business engagement aimed at advancing Nigeria’s energy sector interests.
Ojulari also said; “I was neither arrested nor strong-armed into resigning. In fact, the only ‘pressure’ I faced was from my own conscience and commitment to accountability after the unnecessary controversy stirred around the Kigali trip.
“My resignation was a personal decision, submitted through the appropriate channels—not at gunpoint in some spy movie scenario.”
An online report had claimed that the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede and the Director-General of the DSS, Mr Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi orchestrated an illegal “coup” to remove him, which Mr Ojulari dismissed as not only baseless, but laughable.
In the words of Ojulari; “If I were to be ‘forced out,’ it certainly wouldn’t be in silence. I would have at least negotiated for a better headline!”
Commenting on the what he described as the bizarre insinuations about a British-Nigerian businesswoman, Olatimbo Ayinde, the former GCEO of NNPC Ltd, insisted that he has no personal or professional dealings with her, saying that he found it curious that her name keeps appearing in unrelated matters.
“I’ve spent decades in the oil and gas industry, building a reputation on transparency and expertise—not gossip columns.
“While Peoples Gazette may thrive on conspiracy theories and clickbait, the truth remains simple: Mr. Ojulari resigned honorably, the NNPCL continues its operations uninterrupted, and Nigeria’s energy sector remains focused on progress—not palace intrigue,” he said.
Ojulari therefore urge the public to disregard what he described as “this fictional account” and instead rely on verified statements from official channels.
He said; “After all, if I were going to stage a dramatic exit, I’d at least make sure it came with a soundtrack and better lighting,”.