Bayo Ojulari, the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, attended an industry event organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigerian Council on Monday.
In a video seen by TheCable, Ojulari participated in the event virtually, as part of an official assignment.
His appearance comes following speculations that he has resigned from his position at the national oil company.
On Monday, a senior official at the company told TheCable that a memo has been circulated internally, directing staff to disregard the rumours.
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“The GCEO is still discharging his duties. There’s no official confirmation of any resignation,” the official said.
The future of Ojulari at NNPC has elicited keen interest following reports of an ongoing money laundering investigation involving the GCEO.
TheCable reported Ojulari has been a subject of money laundering investigations following the alleged transfer of millions of dollars to the account of AA&R Investment Group, a company with interests in energy, agribusiness, logistics, and information communication technology.
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AA&R’s founder and group managing director, Abdullahi Bashir-Haske, is married to the daughter of Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president.
Atiku is a presidential hopeful on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and is likely to come up against Tinubu in 2027.
Insiders told TheCable that President Bola Tinubu, who appointed him to replace Mele Kyari only four months ago, is “livid” over the security reports on Ojulari’s activities so far in office.
“… only a miracle will keep him in office at this stage,” a source said.
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The NNPC is yet to issue a formal statement on the matter.
On August 2, sources within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)denied reports that Ojulari was abducted and forced to resign.
