The former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has responded to the allegations made by Farooq Kperogi, a Nigerian professor of journalism based in the United States, regarding ethnic favouritism in the appointments made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his recently published article titled “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC,” Kperogi accused President Tinubu of favouring individuals from the Yoruba ethnic group for significant roles within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
He referenced an unnamed source who suggested that Bayo Ojulari is being considered for the position of Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPCL following the conclusion of Mele Kyari’s tenure.
Kperogi also highlighted the imbalanced appointments made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who claimed to have favoured the northern region during his administration.
He said: “Ironically, this column was inspired by a well-regarded Yoruba supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is worried, in fact embarrassed, by the optics of what he says is Tinubu’s relentless Yorubacentric take-over of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
“His concern wasn’t just partisan discomfort; it was a profound unease about how this nepotistic approach undermines national cohesion.
“I frankly hadn’t been paying attention to the internal dynamics at the NNPC, but the acquaintance pointed out that Yoruba people now occupy major positions at the NNPC and that a certain Bayo Ojulari is “being proposed as GMD after Mele Kyari’s term expires” early next year.
“I haven’t independently confirmed the accuracy of this claim but given the closeness of the source of information to people in the circles of power, it’s probably best to not dismiss this with the wave of the hand.
“His concern is that Tinubu, from the Southwest, is already the minister of petroleum. Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Chairman of the NNPC, is from the South-South. Chief Pius Akinyelure from the Southwest is NNPC’s Non-Executive Board Chairman.”
In his response via X, El-Rufai stated that two wrongs do not make a right, alluding to Buhari’s preferential treatment towards northerners in his appointments.
Nevertheless, the former governor emphasized the importance of sensible inclusion rather than what he termed as arrogant exclusion.
“Two wrongs do not make a right. Sensible inclusion always trumps arrogant exclusion,” El-Rufai noted.