Abuja, Nigeria — As political temperatures begin to rise ahead of the 2027 general elections, Abuja-based journalist and author, Bonaventure Phillips Melah, has alleged a coordinated campaign of targeted attacks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his key appointees.
In a statement titled “2027, NNPCL and the Gathering of Termites,” Melah claimed that a growing number of political actors have abandoned constructive criticism in favour of deliberate efforts to discredit the President and frustrate his administration’s core team.
“The most attractive vocation in Nigeria today is to attack Tinubu and pour tar on his administration,” Melah said. “This would continue, even get worse, as 2027 draws closer.”
According to him, the strategy includes directing relentless criticism not only at the President but also at top officials overseeing strategic ministries, departments, and agencies — key to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Among the latest targets, he noted, is the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its recently appointed CEO, Dr. Bayo Ojulari.
Ojulari, who assumed office just three months ago, has come under fire over reports alleging that the NNPCL violated due process by hosting a management retreat in Kigali, Rwanda — claims Melah described as “deliberately twisted” to malign the company’s leadership.
“This is no surprise,” Melah stated. “The President’s First Eleven must be attacked relentlessly and ferociously, to either force their removal or distract them enough to cause failure in their mandates.”
He emphasized that while the NNPCL is under investigation for past refinery rehabilitation contracts, Ojulari was not in charge at the time, and neither he nor his current management team are the subject of the probe.
Melah urged Nigerians to remain discerning in their judgment of public officeholders and to support genuine reformers. He cautioned against falling prey to politically motivated criticism, which, he said, often stems from ethnic bias, religious sentiment, or sheer opportunism.
“Many of the loudest voices attacking this administration are the same individuals who helped escort Nigeria to its current state,” he added. “Well-meaning citizens must be cautious before accepting narratives crafted to serve narrow political ambitions.”
The journalist concluded by calling for a balanced approach to scrutiny — one that upholds accountability without undermining progress or enabling sabotage driven by personal interest.
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