Following repeated allegations of pipelines surveillance contract favouritism by the Executive Vice- President (Upstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, a group, Niger Delta Grassroots Coalition (NDGC), has described sponsors of the diatribe as playing ethnic card.
In a statement made available to The Nation yesterday, NDGC lambasted those behind Niger Delta Forum for Truth and Justice (NDFTJ), as well as Arewa Intelligentsia Caucus (AIC), sponsored by some persons from the Urhobo nation.
The statement signed by its Coordinator, Prince Edema Collins and Publicity Secretary, Eyikimi Indiamin, said the accusation by the “faceless” groups was an “usurpation and distraction to the current management under Mele Kolo Kyari.
“The unending blackmail against the Executive Vice-President (Upstream), NNPC Ltd, Mrs. Eyesan, is playing a dangerous ethnic card.”
Reacting to the publications in a national daily dated January 29 and 30 by the two groups, NDGC said: “The AIC, which styled itself as a northern socio-political group, tried unsuccessfully to carry out its campaign of calumny and blackmail against the Executive Vice-President (Upstream) of the NNPCL over what it termed ethnic bias and high handedness.
“For the NDFTJ, it was a second publication (barely a week from their first publication) after perceiving the abysmal failure of their first sponsored publication, while for the AIC, it is their first attempt at doing an unsuccessful hatchet job.”
“We have perused the contents of both publications and can conclude that the AIC is merely trying to do a hatchet job for the NDJTF, which has been formed primarily by some elements in the Niger Delta, especially some persons from the Urhobo nation to blackmail the most successful career woman in the history of the NNPC Ltd since its inception over five decades ago.
“As a statement of fact, it is understood that probably because of their naivety and blindness, due to conflict of interest between separating meritocracy from ethnic sentiments, they went overboard by saying Mrs. Eyesan ‘no longer takes directive from her immediate boss’ the GCEO.
“For the record, Mrs. Eyesan has had a perfect relationship with her immediate boss, Malam Mele Kyari, and the entire NNPC Ltd management and this is evident in the fact that she has represented the GCEO at different forums within and outside the shores of Nigeria, especially within the last three weeks, including jointly inspecting the seized crude oil vessel at Oporoza in Warri Southwest.
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“Mrs. Eyesan, whose career of over 30 years in both the private and public sectors has seen her rising to her current position as EVP Upstream of the NNPCL, has been an astute, effervescent, clear-sighted, creative, decisive, discerning, innovative, inquisitive, intuitive, observant, quick-witted, resourceful, shrewd, tenacious and sincere professional in her over 30 years career with sterling achievements, which include; midwifing the first ever non-associated gas commercialisation in Nigeria and delivering the renewal of Nigeria’s Deep Water Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) in record time, paving the way for over $10 billion in eco-friendly investments.”
Asserting that the allegations by the groups stemmed from Eyesan’s shrewd and tenacious way of handling affairs, the NDGC said “those pillaging our common wealth may be threatened.”
Stressing that Mrs. Eyesan “will not be cowed to kowtow to the whims and caprices” of the naysayers, the NDGC urged the Arewa group to channel its energy towards ensuring security in the North, just as it called on the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Northern Elders Forum “to call the leadership of the AIC (if they exist) to order as their unguarded utterances do not bode well for the nation.”
