The Chief Executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mr. Ojulari, made a dramatic return to the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Monday morning, putting an unexpected twist on a weekend of high-level political tension and public speculation about his alleged resignation.
Eyewitnesses told The Trumpet that Ojulari arrived at the building shortly before a few minutes past 10:00 a.m., with internal staff receiving a memo shortly thereafter to quash rumours about his removal. “He’s back,” a top official confirmed. “He’s at the office now.”
The sudden reappearance of Mr. Ojulari follows explosive revelations over the weekend that he was reportedly detained on Friday night by security operatives and forced to sign a resignation letter. According to the unconfirmed information, the State Security Service (SSS) under Adeola Ajayi and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) coordinated his arrest and pressured resignation, allegedly without the knowledge or consent of President Bola Tinubu.
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The source of the pressure? Insiders say it was orchestrated by Olatimbo Ayinde, widely believed to be a powerful confidante of President Tinubu. Her growing influence within the corridors of power has been raising serious concerns among top administration insiders and political observers alike.
Over the weekend, Mr. Ojulari was reportedly summoned to the Presidential Villa, where First Lady Remi Tinubu intervened and insisted that his resignation would not be accepted, an unusual but telling move that highlights deep fractures within the presidency. The tug-of-war over Ojulari’s position now appears to reflect an escalating power struggle among key figures in Tinubu’s inner circle.
A security source close to the matter said the issue had been “resolved for now,” but acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Ojulari’s leadership may persist as President Tinubu weighs his options in the days ahead. The presidency has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, and a spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
Mr. Ojulari was appointed in April after a fiercely competitive selection process to replace Mele Kyari as head of the state-run oil firm. His brief tenure has already been marked by intense political interference, raising questions about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of decision-making in Nigeria’s most critical economic sector.
The events of the past 72 hours have thrown the NNPC and the entire oil sector into the spotlight, fueling a storm of public outrage and speculation on social media. With Nigeria’s oil industry at a crossroads and political tensions rising at the top, the Ojulari saga may just be the beginning of a deeper shakeup within the Tinubu administration.
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