Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has threatened to serve legal redress against SaharaReporters and Nairaland for publishing reports that it bribed 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 governorship election.
NNPC urged the public to dismiss the false reports as it had no basis.
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 Saharareporters, NNPC confirmed that it received a letter dated April 22, 2020, from NANS signed by one Comrade Danielson Akpan, requesting for financial support.
This would enable the association to provide palliatives to students who were stranded at various schools during the lockdown.
However, NNPC 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 the All Progressives Congress (APC), in buying votes during the Ondo governorship election published by Nairaland, the Corporation explained 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 Saharareporters and Nairaland 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.
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