The Management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has denied the allegation going round in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja, on Friday, that its Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has authorized a cash transfer to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Organisation to support of the president’s re-election campaigns.
According to the statement signed by its spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja, on Friday, the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru never authorized any “phantom cash transfer” for the purpose of sponsoring publicity for Buhari ahead of the 2019 elections, He described the allegation as politically-induced hallucination which had found accommodation in the subconscious of some mischievous political actors.
The statement said the allegation was not only patently false but runs against the prevailing gale of transparency and accountability pervading the operations of the NNPC since the advent of the current administration. It said:
“With no regard for the cherished investigative reporting ethos of balance and confirmation of story, the allegation, without doubt, come across as a kindergarten execution of an ill-thought political brinkmanship.’’
The NNPC noted in the statement that the allegations that Baru made such transfer were a politically induced hallucination which has found accommodation in the subconscious of some mischievous political actors intent on dragging the corporation and its GMD into the arena of a partisan political tussle.
The NNPC urged well-meaning members of the public and oil and gas industry stakeholders to disregard the phantom report.
The corporation said the management of the NNPC under Baru is focused on delivering the aspiration of Mr. President for the petroleum industry.
