A human rights group, Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC) has condemned the allegations against the Executive Vice-President of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mr Tombomeiye Adokeiye.
The rights group in a statement by its board of Trustee’s Chairman, Mr Cleric Alaowei, described the allegations as “untrue and fallacious”, saying that a campaign of calumny was being peddled by a faceless group to smear the goodwill of Adokeiye.
It explained that the faceless “Niger Delta Youth” petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a fallacy.
”The allegations of oil facilities sabotage levelled against the Executive Vice President of the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mr Tombomieye Adokiye, by one faceless group of stomach hustlers are the handiwork of some vested interests coveting the office of Mr Adokiye, especially his soon-to-be-announced new office.
“We warn enemies of progress to refrain from their nefarious activities. Nigeria belongs to all of us. We know the brains behind the uncouth and incendiary attacks on Mr Adokiye.
“We are not surprised that the Commission has chosen not to respond to such cheap lies in the alleged petition, manufactured to achieve a primordial objective by their sponsors.
“Some vested interest and born-to-rule crusaders are the ones coveting the office of the only Niger Deltans holding such sensitive office. Hence, they recruited some willing tools to carry out smear campaigns against the man.
“The petition purportedly written to the EFCC by the Niger Delta Youths and Stakeholders Congress against Mr Tombomieye Adokiye is a fallacy of ad baculum and thus, did not deserve the attention of the anti-graft agency.
“We advise the said group to engage itself in meaningful ventures instead of being used as a pawn in the chessboard,” the statement said.
Describing as appalling the manufacture of cheap and unfiltered lies against an innocent man just because they are eyeing his office, the statement said Adokiye should be allowed to carry out his corporate responsibilities without let or hindrance.
“Even when the NNPCL management board was being dominated by a section of the country against the provisions of the Federal Character Act to the resentment of the Niger Delta people, the region did not incite people to haul attacks on the people who dominated the Board.
“Adokiye should be left alone to run the affairs of his office. The allegations levelled against him by that faceless group lacked all forms of merit.
“Only a myopic mind will buy into such incoherently pernicious lies,” the statement said.
