...Knocks SSYI for smear campaign to blackmail

The Niger Delta Movement for Peoples Right and Development (NDMPRAD) has condemned the alleged blackmail tactics by a self-styled South South Youths Initiative (SSYI) targeting the leadership of the NNPC Ltd, specifically former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and the retired Executive Vice President (Upstream), Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye.

NDMPRAD accused SSYI and its National President, Comrade Imeabe Saviour of spreading falsehoods, misrepresentations, and misleading information aimed at discrediting top NNPCL Executives, particularly former NNPC Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, and retired EVP of Upstream, Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye.

SSYI had in a recent statement alleged that Engr. Tombomieye, during his tenure at NNPC, was involved in overseeing the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, claiming that he supervised a failed project funded with a $1.5 billion investment.

The group further claimed that Tombomieye, as head of the downstream sector, was responsible for the project’s shortcomings, which reportedly involved a loan taken during the Buhari administration amounting to over $1 billion, backed by crude oil allocations, with repayment scheduled to begin in 2024 and concluding in 2029.

In response, the Niger Delta Movement for People's Rights and Development (NDMPRAD), in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr Richard Oloige, dismissed the claims as baseless and riddled with inconsistencies, mathematical errors, and structural misrepresentations.

They pointed out that SSYI’s publication contained factual errors and misinterpretations, particularly regarding the roles and titles held by Engr. Tombomieye.

The group clarified that Tombomieye’s official position was Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Upstream, and later an Executive Vice President (Upstream), not Downstream. They emphasized that refinery projects fall under the Downstream division, and conflating these roles demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the sector's organizational structure.

"The petition completely confuses the basic organizational structure of NNPC Ltd. It first refers to Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye as the "Executive Vice President (Downstream)" but a few paragraphs later states he was the "Executive Vice President (Upstream)".

Fact-check shows that Engr. Tombomieye was historically the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Upstream and later the Executive Vice President (Upstream). The Upstream sector deals with oil exploration and production. Refinery rehabilitations fall strictly under the Downstream portfolio.

NDMPRAD said that mixing up the roles proves the authors of the alleged petition lack a basic understanding of corporate governance at NNPCL.

The rebuttal reads in full; "We wish to set the record straight and expose this statement for what it truly is: a sponsored smear campaign designed to mislead uninformed members of the public and blackmail dedicated public servants.

"The SSYI in its desperate bid to execute a hatchet job, couldn't even decide which office Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye held, flipping between calling him the EVP Downstream and EVP Upstream in the same breath. For the avoidance of doubt, Engr. Tombomieye served meritoriously as the EVP Upstream —a division entirely separate from refinery operations and rehabilitations, which fall squarely under the Downstream sector. Blaming an Upstream executive for Downstream refinery timelines highlights the profound ignorance driving this petition.

"The group's claim that Nigeria is paying back $8 billion on a $1 billion loan is a embarrassing display of financial illiteracy. Crude-backed loans are serviced based on actual debt values plus standard international interest rates. Crude allocations represent a volume commitment to secure the loan, not a blank check handed over to lenders.

NDMPRAD also challenged the smear tactics around the Senate Public Accounts Committee’s review of Nigeria’s financial records, describing the allegations of missing funds as deliberately misleading. They explained that the review covered accumulated balances over six years, not cash shortages, and warned that sensationalized claims threaten investor confidence.

"The attempt to twist the Senate Public Accounts Committee's review of ₦210 trillion in cumulative ledger entries from 2017 to 2023 into a "missing money" scandal is deliberately mischievous. These are gross accounting balances (expenses vs. receivables) accumulated over six years, not cash missing from the federation account. Civil Society Organizations have already cautioned the public against these sensationalized interpretations aimed at hurting investor confidence.

"Resorting to pedestrian conspiracy theories—such as claiming an executive paid bloggers to delete photos of refinery visits—proves that the SSYI has zero evidence to back their claims. They have abandoned facts to rely on gossip and emotional blackmail.

"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) are highly professional agencies driven by hard evidence, not by the dramatic threats of a mobilized mob. True accountability is already at work within the oil sector, as seen in the ongoing prosecution of administrative officials directly responsible for specific refinery contracts.

"We urge the public to discard the hollow threats and blackmail tactics of the SSYI. The Niger Delta youth will not allow themselves to be used as political pawns in a desperate smear campaign against individuals who have served the nation with integrity".

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