Youth leaders from the Niger Delta region under the umbrella of the Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States’ Youth Council of Nigeria (HOSTCONYCN), have condemned the call for the removal of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, describing it as an “aberration” and a politically motivated move.

The criticism came in response to a recent protest led by Jonathan Lokpobri, President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), in Abuja.

Lokpobri’s group had demanded Ojulari’s sack, alleging underperformance and mismanagement at NNPCL.

However, HOSTCONYCN leaders dismissed the protest as a “kangaroo arrangement” by corrupt individuals bent on destabilizing the oil sector reforms.

At a simultaneous press briefing held in Warri and a counter-protest staged in Abuja, HOSTCONYCN members, wielding placards with inscriptions such as “Jonathan Lokpobri is an imposter” and “Thank you, President Tinubu for Engr. Bayo Ojulari,” declared their support for the NNPCL boss and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda.

“That call for Ojulari’s removal is not just uncalled for, it’s an aberration. We, the true youth representatives of the Niger Delta, totally disassociate ourselves from such an irresponsible move. Engr. Ojulari has brought transparency and efficiency into NNPCL. In under four months, he has overseen the remittance of over ?20 trillion to the federal account and significantly raised crude oil output from 1.3 million to nearly 2 million barrels per day,” he stated.

He further pointed out Ojulari’s collaboration with community-based security groups and law enforcement, noting that the results of such synergy were visible in increased oil production and reduced theft.

Also speaking in Abuja, Dr. AK Etta Peters, National Secretary of HOSTCONYCN, lambasted the IYC faction’s protest, describing it as the handiwork of “kleptomaniac bureaucrats” threatened by Ojulari’s anti-corruption stance.

“We are witnessing a fightback by those who have looted the oil sector for years. They’re uncomfortable with the reforms and the transparency under Ojulari. This is not about youth interest, it is about protecting a corrupt cartel,” Dr. Peters said.

He further stressed that the Ijaw Youth Council does not speak for the entire Niger Delta, which comprises over 140 ethnic nationalities.

“One ethnic group cannot claim to represent us all. The IYC’s action is both mischievous and misleading,” he stated.

The HOSTCONYCN leadership issued a vote of confidence in Engr. Ojulari, praising his “transformational leadership” and urging President Tinubu to stay the course on reforms that are beginning to bear fruit.

The group also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), emphasizing its significance to the development of host communities.

In a final message to the presidency, Pathfinder and Peters jointly appealed: “Do not be distracted by paid agents of destabilization. We, the real Niger Delta youth leaders, are solidly behind your administration’s efforts to reform and reposition the oil and gas sector for national development.” (The Nation)