By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A Group under the name of Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development (AYAPD), has called on the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, to resign from his position with immediate effect.
The group, in a statement issued weekend in Kaduna and signed its Chairman Comrade Aminu Haruna Maipampo and Secretary James Ishaku, stated that it’s deeply concerned about the frequently reported cases of corruption within the Corporation.
“We, the Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development (AYAPD), are deeply concerned about the frequently reported cases of corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), and we are calling on the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPCL, Mr. Mele Kyari, to resign from his position with immediate effect.
The Corporation was in the news over the allegation of payment of N20bn to ghost contractors, afterwards, there was another reported case of the payment of billions of Naira to GMD/CEO and the Head of Finance of the organisation.
“This is in addition to a reported case of stolen crude worth over $2.5b that was found hidden in China which triggered the National Assembly to set up a committee to investigate the matter”,, it stated.
The group lamented that “While Nigerians are still waiting for the outcome of the investigation by the National Assembly, Sahara Reporters, a reputable media outfit release another report on “System Money” where marketers pay $100,000 to the System to access cheap gasoline.
They also condemned in the strongest terms, the alleged allocation of gas to marketers after taking a $100,000 bribe, which has led to the high cost of the product.
This, according to them, is unacceptable, and an indication of the endemic corruption that has plagued the NNPC for years.
“The System of corruption that has been established within the Corporation must crumble if our country must make significant progress’, it stated.
Furthermore, “We are convinced that the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) before and during the 2023 general election was a case of political sabotage”, designed with the Corporation to put the Candidate of the ruling party at a disadvantage position.
“This is unacceptable, and it is an indication that the NNPC is being used to advance the interests of a few individuals at the expense of the Nigerian people. We wonder where they suddenly got the fuel that is now available for Sale immediately after the election.
“We, therefore, call on Mr. Mele Kyari to take responsibility for the failure of his leadership and immediately step down from his position.
“We demand that the government takes swift and decisive action to investigate the allegations of corruption within the NNPC and bring the culprits to justice.
“If Mr. Kyari fails to comply with our demands, we will have no other option but to embark on a warning mass protest on the eve of the Inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s President-elect to demand his resignation and the end of corruption within the NNPC.
“We call on all Nigerians to join us in this fight against corruption and to demand accountability and transparency in the management of our national resources”, AYAPD stated.
