Presidency officials have explained that the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and the state-owned firm's board were sacked due to mounting concerns over his performance.
Sources in the presidency, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Wednesday while reacting to President Tinubu's latest decision to remove Kyari, the board chairman, Pius Akinyelure, and others.
Recall that on Wednesday, and reconstituted the NNPCL board.
The reshuffling has attracted reactions from Nigerians, with the .
However, it had remained unclear why Kyari and the former board chairman, Akinyelure, were removed.
Speaking on the decision, multiple presidency officials familiar with the development said it was performance-based.
“President Tinubu did this because of their performance. We needed to do things differently. The former people were taking us in circles, and some of them became part of the problem,” one of the sources stated.
Another official added: “It is not about (Kyari’s) age. NNPCL is a limited liability company and is not governed by civil service rules. So, it’s not about his age. There is always a need to bring in new brains that can deliver in new directions. The president has his mandate, which is clearly stated in the statement.”
