NNPC denies reports of bribe to NANS, funding of vote-buying in Ondo, considering legal redress

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has refuted reports in a section of the media alleging that it paid bribe to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and provided funds for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to buy votes in the just concluded Ondo State gubernatorial election. In a press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, the Corporation described the reports as mischievous and contrived allegations, without any substance in truth, ostensibly designed to serve the selfish ends of their sponsors to bring NNPC to disrepute and tarnish the Corporation’s image.

On the alleged bribe or Covid-19 palliative to NANS published by an Online platform, NNPC confirmed that it received a letter dated April 22, 2020, from NANS signed by one Comrade Danielson Akpan, requesting for financial support to enable the association provide palliatives to students who were stranded at various schools during the lockdown, a request the Corporation could not honour due to the peculiar circumstances and financial constraints thrown up by the global oil market meltdown.

Concerning the allegation of providing funds to support a political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in buying votes during the Ondo State gubernatorial election, the Corporation said that the NNPC is owned by the Federation and indeed, all Nigerians, hence, it is non-partisan and does not engage in sponsorship of political parties or causes.

NNPC called on the two online platforms to retract the reports failing which it would be forced to seek legal redress as appropriate. It also urged members of the public to discountenance the reports, stressing that they were a crass display of unprofessionalism with predetermined conclusions aimed at serving the selfish purposes of their sponsors.