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P’Harcout Refinery: CSO knocks NNPCL for berating host community leader
***calls on Tinubu to sack Kyari immediately, as refinery stops production
For coming out to disparage a leader from the host community of the Port Harcourt refinery, a group, known as Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN), has come hard on the foremost regulatory agency, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
This was, even as, the group has called on President Bola Tinubu to relieve the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari of his duties, for misleading the President and Nigerians about the operation of the Port Harcourt refinery.
In a statement on Sunday signed by the President, Engr. Igeniwari Edward, and Comrade Omototsho Ogbe, the group corroborated the comments of the Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere, saying, the petroleum products loaded from the newly rehabilitated Port-Harcourt Refinery were not freshly refined but dead stocks left in the storage tank of the facility since 2016.
“Before shutting down in 2016, the Port Harcourt refinery had some large quantity of dead stock left in the tank, and were only evacuated from the storage to some trucks during the rehabilitation of Old Area 5.
“Some dead stocks like Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel) were stored in the tanks in large quantity. What NNPC did was to evacuate them into waiting trucks, making the President and Nigerians to believe they were loading freshly refined products into those trucks.
“It is not only Chief Mgbere that knew about this fact, all of us from Alesa, infact, all the suburbs in Eleme can attest to this.
“It also doesn’t surprise us that the NNPCL shut down the refinery sooner than they claimed it was operating. That’s because they ran out of lies and couldn’t cajole the President any further.
“Kyari should be so sober right now and I believe he is already aware that the much celebrated 60,000 capacity segment of the refinery they claimed to have rehabilitated was shut down 2 days ago and no activity is happening there any longer.
“The President should not wait any further before he sacks Mele Kyari and all his accomplices in this national monumental trick they pulled on Nigerians on Tuesday. He should not only be sacked, Kyari should tell Nigerians what happened to over N17 trillion naira injected into the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.
“Nigerians should also join our Network to say NO to conversion of any of the refineries to a blending plant. We all know the environmental degredations our people having been facing over oil exploration and bunkering activities. We don’t want any further hazard on our land. Kyari should just deliver exactly what the government paid for and stop fighting our leaders in the host communities”, the statement read.
Chief Mgbere, Secretary to Alesa Community Stakeholders Forum, had appeared on a national television show on Thursday, alleging that the Port Harcourt refinery only loaded six trucks on Tuesday, despite stating that 200 trucks would be picked up from the refinery daily, adding that the many trucks parked within the premises were tucked up with dead stock and off-spec of old products.
Alesa, one of the 10 major communities in Eleme, Rivers State, is the host community of the Port-Harcourt Refinery.
But in response to the allegations, the NNPCL denied claims by an Alesa community leader, in a statement signed Friday by its Spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, saying the agency did not lie when it said the Port Harcourt refinery was producing crude oil.
The NNPCL accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs, saying he would not have dignified him with a response if not for a need to set the records straight.
“We call on the general public to disregard the claims of the self-acclaimed ‘community person’ which are obviously borne out of sheer mischief and blatant display of ignorance,” NNPCL had said.
Meanwhile, exclusive report emerging from Sahara Reporters Saturday night corroborated the position of the Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria, that the NNPCL has shut down operation “at the moment” with only its non-petroleum unit running which is the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).
The CDU produces naphtha, kerosene and diesel but cannot produce the component which is needed for the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol, top sources at the refinery disclosed to SaharaReporters on Saturday.
“The Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is still running but the operation of the depot is shut down at the moment. The CDU produces naphtha, diesel and Kerosene but cannot produce the component for the production of PMS.
“All these products cannot serve the masses as the production of these products are in small quantities even if the plant runs at 100% throughput. The processing plant of 150,000bpd capacity will commence operations in 2026; that is if money is made readily available to meet the timelines because at the moment the project has exceeded $2billion”, a top official of the agency told Sahara Reporters
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) says its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) will soon be inaugurated as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director Esq., on September 21, 2026.
According to the statement, the NDC is currently consulting with relevant stakeholders to develop and inaugurate what it described as a robust Presidential Campaign Council.
The party said its Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and Vice-Presidential Candidate, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had held several meetings with the National Leader and leadership of the party as part of the process.
The NDC said Obi and Kwankwaso had been given the opportunity to nominate key officials of the campaign council in consultation with the party.
Those positions include the Director-General of the Campaign, Deputy Director-General (North), Campaign Spokesman, Deputy Spokesman, Head of New Media, Finance Director, Deputy Finance Director and other positions.
The party said the arrangement was designed to promote inclusiveness and cohesion within the campaign structure.
It added that a full organogram of the campaign structure had been developed since August and made available to Obi and Kwankwaso for their input, while nominations had also been received from other stakeholders across the country.
The NDC said it would announce and inaugurate the PCC after receiving the inputs of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
It also disclosed that a campaign timetable had been proposed since August, with arrangements for campaign funding and fundraising still being concluded.
According to the party, funds raised for the presidential campaign would be paid into the presidential campaign account and managed by officers nominated by the presidential candidate and his running mate alongside the party’s National Treasurer.
The party said the PCC inauguration, initially scheduled for the first week of September, was postponed because of the travel schedule of the presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, the NDC has directed its state and Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen to commence the compilation and harmonisation of party agents ahead of the 2027 elections.
The directive, according to the party, is in line with the Electoral Act, 2026, and requires state and LGA chairmen to meet with candidates and relevant stakeholders to produce comprehensive lists of agents.
The agents will be divided into two categories: those for National Assembly elections and those for governorship and State Assembly elections.
The party said the lists would be scrutinised and ratified by its leadership, including the presidential candidate and his running mate, before training commences.
The exercise is expected to be completed and the final lists submitted within two weeks of the directive.
The committee responsible for the appointment of party agents is chaired by the NDC Deputy National Chairman (South), Comrade Babatunde Alli. Vin Martin Ilo serves as secretary, while Dr Yunusa Tanko, Nafiu Dankura and the National Vice Chairmen of the six geopolitical zones are members.
The party also appealed to its candidates at all levels to discourage supporters and support groups from engaging in internal battles, urging them instead to concentrate on winning the elections.
“There are no battles to fight within the NDC,” the party stated, identifying the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as its common opponent.
The NDC said it remained committed to supporting its candidates and urged them to focus on winning elections, stressing that its candidates were contesting under the party and not as independent candidates.
The party expressed its desire for all its candidates to win their respective elections and called on members and supporters to remain focused on the 2027 electoral contest.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has described the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a major pillar of support for President Bola Tinubu in particular and Nigerians, especially the vulnerable ones in general.
The FCT Minister, in a goodwill message to the First Lady on her 66th birthday, commended her for the transformation of the Abuja City Gate, saying “the roles the First Lady played in transforming the Abuja City Gate into how it is today, is a manifestation of her commitment to the success of her husband’s administration.”
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the Minister also hailed the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, noting that it has brought succor to several vulnerable Nigerians in the last three years.
Wike said; “At 66, the simple way of life of the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, CON, has remained an inspiration to women in the country, and it is my prayer that God will continue to uphold her.
“Most importantly, this new age is a confirmation of God’s love for her, and I pray that the good Lord will continue to grant her good health.
“I celebrate and rejoice with our ever caring and development oriented First Lady on the attainment of this significant age in her life and wish her many more years of service to our country, Nigeria.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has sacked one of its staff members for allegedly extorting unsuspecting candidates.
The Board made this known on Monday in its bulletin, stating that the action was part of its renewed efforts to eliminate fraudulent practices within the admission and examination system.
According to JAMB, the sanction against the unnamed staff member showed that its fight against exploitation was not limited to external fraudsters but also applied to employees found abusing their positions.
“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has terminated the appointment of one of its staff members for extorting unsuspecting candidates, in further demonstration of its renewed commitment to flushing out bad eggs from the system,” the board stated.
It further cautioned its employees against engaging in activities capable of undermining its credibility or exploiting candidates and members of the public.
The Board stressed that any staff members found guilty of misconduct would face severe consequences in line with established regulations.
“The Board noted that the action sends a clear and unequivocal message that its zero-tolerance policy on corruption and misconduct applies to everyone, irrespective of status or position,” it added.
The tertiary examination body reiterated that it would not shield any employee who abuses the trust placed in them by candidates or members of the public.
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