The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has denied allegations that he forced Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limwited (NNPCL), to resign.
Mr. Olukoyede denied the allegation in a statement on Wednesday made available to newsmen by EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale,
The reports, published by an online portal, People’s Gazette, claimed that Olukoyede, alongside the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, coerced Ojulari into signing a resignation letter during a secret meeting in Abuja.
Olukoyede described the reports as false, malicious, and damaging to his integrity and the EFCC’s credibility.
He demanded a retraction of the report and a public apology within 48 hours, citing the potential harm to his reputation.
Olukoyede rejected claims that he acted under the influence of Olatimbo Ayinde, a British-Nigerian oil businesswoman allegedly close to key figures in the administration.
He emphasised that the allegations were an attempt to portray him as someone who had compromised the independence of his office.
Olukoyede’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), warned that failure to comply would result in the issuance of a writ in the tort of defamation.
Despite reports of Ojulari’s resignation, neither he, NNPCL, nor the presidency has commented on the development.
Ojulari was spotted attending a Society of Petroleum Engineers event in Lagos, where he emphasised the need for Africa to develop bankable energy projects for a sustainable future.
