Abuja-based journalist and author, Bonaventure Phillips Melah, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is increasingly becoming the target of orchestrated attacks as political actors prepare for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement titled *“2027, NNPCL and the Gathering of Termites,”* Melah suggested that several agencies and key figures within the Tinubu administration are being unfairly targeted in a broader effort to undermine the President’s leadership.
He specifically pointed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bayo Ojulari, claiming that attacks on them are politically motivated and aimed at eroding the administration’s achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to Melah, “The most attractive vocation in Nigeria today is to attack Tinubu and pour tar on his administration; and this would continue, even get worse, as 2027 draws closer. The idea is to attack the president, either directly, or send the missiles against his loyal aides and appointees, especially those manning strategic ministries, departments and agencies that are seen as critical to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He added that the strategy is to diminish President Tinubu’s perceived positives and distort public perception of his government in pursuit of a “regime change project in 2027.”
Melah claimed that this agenda includes targeting the President’s most trusted officials, describing them as his “First Eleven,” with the goal of distracting or removing them to hinder the administration’s performance.
He said, “It is therefore no surprise that Dr. Bayo Ojulari, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, who assumed office barely three months ago, is on the radar and has become a major prey of the hawks, the termites and the vultures of destruction and enemies of progress.”
Melah dismissed recent reports suggesting that the NNPCL violated due process by hosting a retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, asserting that such narratives are part of a larger effort to mislead the public and tarnish the image of the current NNPCL leadership.
He clarified that the ongoing investigations into past contracts involving refinery rehabilitation have no connection to Dr. Ojulari’s tenure or management decisions.
“It is neither Ojulari nor his management team that is being investigated,” he stated.
Urging support for credible reformers within the system, Melah cautioned against politically motivated criticism, warning that many vocal opponents of the Tinubu administration were among those responsible for Nigeria’s current challenges.
“While we all agree that elected and appointed leaders should be subjected to public scrutiny and made accountable to the people, well-meaning citizens should take all necessary precautions before drinking the coffee from the double-bellied coffee mug of some critics,” he noted.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians not to be misled by individuals driven by personal ambition, political bias, or financial gain.
