News
NNPC; Atiku Slams OVH Deal, Alleging Undue Influence By Tinubu’s Family
Despite selling its downstream operations as far back as 2015, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday accused President Bola Tinubu of mortgaging the oil industry to his family and associates, citing the alleged control of OVH, an oil industry operator, by Oando Plc, owned by Wale Tinubu.
Atiku said he believed that even after Tinubu leaves office, it would be nearly impossible to break the shackles, comparing Tinubu’s alleged integration of his business interests into Lagos’ public enterprises to his current attempts at the federal level.
In a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku argued that , “Just as Alpha Beta, Primero, and others act as Tinubu’s proxies in Lagos, managing critical sectors and generating revenue for him and his family, he has begun to replicate this at the federal level.”
He expressed astonishment at the operations of the NNPC and how the government-owned oil company has allegedly put its retail arm under the control of OVH, a company in which he said Oando, led by Wale Tinubu, owns 49 per cent.
Atiku regretted that his intention to privatise the NNPC and increase its transparency has been overshadowed by what he described as the criminal hijack of the NNPC by corporate cabals around the current president.
“In October 2022, just five months before the elections, the NNPC Retail controversially announced it had acquired OVH and all its filling stations. NNPC already had about 550 filling stations across the country but claimed it was enhancing its capacity by acquiring OVH, which had only 94 stations and 100 others leased.
“The NNPC did not disclose the purchase price of OVH or the terms of the acquisition. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Premium Times was also rejected by the NNPC, which claimed to be a private company despite still being government-owned.
“Following this dubious deal, Mele Kyari, was controversially retained as NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer despite his incompetence. Tinubu then appointed his former boss at Mobil, turned ally, Pius Akinyelure, as NNPC Chairman, while he himself took on the role of Minister of Petroleum.
“In a move that defies economic logic, OVH, previously owned by NNPC Retail, has now acquired NNPC Retail. This absurd situation means that Wale Tinubu’s Oando now owns 49 per cent of NNPC Retail.
“Moreover, Nigeria paid Wale Tinubu a significant sum to facilitate the Tinubu family’s acquisition of the national oil company. This represents a clear case of illogical business transactions and abuse of office by President Tinubu, who has prevented NNPC from becoming a public liability company as stipulated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” he alleged.
Atiku acknowledged that the NNPC and its leadership were under legislative investigation but expressed scepticism about the process’ credibility due to the vested interests of those conducting the investigation.
“Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who is heading the National Assembly panel, is a known supporter of Tinubu. He served as a commissioner under Tinubu in Lagos State and publicly calls him his godfather.
“Given that Tinubu is the petroleum minister, he should be held responsible for the sector’s issues. I doubt Bamidele will conduct a thorough investigation that might implicate his patron,” Atiku said.
On the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, Atike said he had earlier claimed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was fraudulent, but the government denied it.
He said that mow that the matter is in court, it was concerning that Chagoury and Tinubu have a business relationship, and their children are business partners, as revealed by OCCRP.
“This indicates a conflict of interest. It is no surprise that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway, which together will cost over $24 billion, were approved without competitive bidding. It seems that whatever Tinubu wants, he gets,” Atiku said.
But when THISDAY contacted the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando, Mr Wale Tinubu on the allegation by the former vice president, he vehemently refuted the allegation, insisting that the company has no stake in OVH.
He stressed that as far back as 2015, Oando sold its stake in the downstream to OVH, wondering how it is being dragged into the matter in 2024.
“We are not the ones who sold the company to NNPC. We sold that company, as far back as 2015. He should stop bullying us. They have been telling lies in public.
“He should not drag us into their politics. Oando bought the company in 2000 or 2002 from him when he was chairman of privatisation and we sold the company, during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“We don’t own anything there. It’s deliberate falsehood. As a publicly quoted company, we issued a press statement when we sold that company in 2015,” he said on Wednesday night. “We sold our downstream operations in 2015,” Wale Tinubu maintained.
THISDAY tracked an online link where on June 30, 2015 a press release said that Oando Plc had reached an agreement to sell an equity stake in its downstream businesses to a joint venture consisting of Helios Investment partners and Vitol.
According to the statement, the integrated oil and gas company announced that a definitive agreement had been executed with the firms. “Importantly, the divestment enables Oando Plc to focus on its upstream and midstream businesses,” the statement added at the time.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudsters impersonating its officials to defraud unsuspecting members of the public through fake auction offers for forfeited vehicles.
In a statement issued on Friday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the scammers have been using the names of senior NDLEA officials, particularly the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to circulate fraudulent letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale.
Babafemi described the offers as a deliberate scam aimed at swindling people of their money.
“The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money,” he said.
The agency stressed that no NDLEA official is authorised to privately allocate, sell or offer forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.
According to the statement, all forfeited vehicles and assets are disposed of only through public auction processes conducted by government-approved auctioneers in line with legal and public procurement guidelines.
Babafemi added that legitimate auction exercises are always widely advertised in national newspapers and through the agency’s official communication channels.
He urged members of the public to disregard and report any letters, text messages or social media posts claiming to offer forfeited vehicles through Barrister Haruna or any other NDLEA official.
“The NDLEA remains committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations. Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or through our official communication channels,” the statement added.
The organisers of this year’s Nigeria International Gospel Music Awards ( NIGMA) have announced that the upcoming edition will celebrate the very best of the gospel music industry in an atmosphere of excellence, creativity, and inspiration.
The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the prestigious Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Kingsley Omoefe, Founder and Team Lead of NIGMA and Chief Responsibility Officer of Golden Heritage Limited, said the August event is designed to bring together gospel music ministers, industry stakeholders, fans, and supporters for a memorable celebration of talent, faith, and excellence.
He stated that attendees should expect an unforgettable experience featuring outstanding performances from leading gospel artists, alongside special recognitions for individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the industry.
The organisers also revealed that the event will feature meaningful conversations designed to inspire participants, promote collaboration, and foster the continued growth of gospel music.
The organisers said the August gathering would create memorable moments that would leave guests inspired, enriched, and motivated long after the curtains close.
They further called on corporate organisations, media outfits, and well-meaning individuals to take advantage of the opportunities available to support the event through sponsorships and strategic partnerships.
The organisers encouraged interested organisations and individuals seeking sponsorship, partnership, media accreditation, or participation to contact the event management for further information and registration ahead of the highly anticipated August programme.
International News
Nottingham Forest Sacks 5th Manager In 10 Months, To Wrap Up Oliver Glasner’s Deal
Oliver Glasner is in advanced talks to replace Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach, a move which would see the Austrian become the club’s fifth manager in less than a year.
Pereira announced his departure from the club in a statement on Wednesday, saying that it came as a “complete surprise to me and without any warning”.
Glasner is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace — where he won the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield and Conference League the following campaign — and is set to stay in the Premier League.
The 51-year-old confirmed in January that he would leave Palace at the end of the season after two years in charge.
On Thursday, Forest confirmed Pereira’s coaching staff Filipe Almeida, Luis Miguel, Bruno Moura, Marco Knoop and Pedro Lopes had all left the club alongside the head coach.
Pereira, 57, was appointed Forest head coach in February on an 18-month contract which runs until 2027.
The Athletic reported in May Forest had been planning to show their faith in Pereira by handing the head coach a new long-term contract, but those talks were subsequently put on hold.
“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” he said in his statement.
“I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club. Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future.
“Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.
“Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club’s Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever. Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.
“I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment—only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories. Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.”
The Portuguese succeeded Sean Dyche and was Forest’s fourth permanent boss of the season following the departures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
Nuno had led Forest to Europa League qualification the previous season but he departed in September, less than three months after signing a new deal. Postecoglou was appointed his replacement but was dismissed just 39 days later. Dyche took charge of the team in October before his dismissal in February.
Forest were three points above the relegation zone when Pereira was appointed and he subsequently steered his side to Premier League safety with two games of the campaign remaining.
His appointment marked his second managerial spell in the Premier League after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety during the 2024-25 campaign.
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