THE new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ms Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, was accused in 2024 of prejudice in the pipelines contract awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
The Niger Delta for Truth and Justices (NDTJ) had, in a protest in January 2024, accused Ms Eyesan of bias in the award of pipelines surveillance contracts in the oil bearing region while she was Executive Vice President, Upstream, for the NNPC.
In a letter signed by National President, Mr Ejiroghene Mariere, addressed to the management of NNPCL in Abuja, the group had alleged that Ms Eyesan was behind the deal to increase the scope of job to be awarded to Pipelines Infrastructures Nigeria limited (PINL), a company alleged have been floated by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase 111.
According to the Niger Delta group, ”If the PINL was doing well, some of its jobs would not be withdrawn. There have been too much of oil theft, pipelines vandalism leading to low oil production in the areas under the surveillance of PINL.”
It said no fewer than 112 incidents of crude oil theft happened in the areas under the supervision of PINL in 2023, noting that the PINL was not performing and should not have a bigger contract scope. “Oil bunkering was the order of the day, whenever it’s in charge. And now the Vice president upstream is planning to give the company more areas to cover despite the abysmal performance.”
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“The Vice president upstream is playing ethic politics with national resources at the detriment of national interest”. How do you reward failure with more jobs just because the vice-president of NNPCL is a subject of the owner of the company?’
The group wondered why a non-performing company would be rewarded with a bigger job if not for ethic consideration, noting that “Eyesan is an Itsekiri like her Warri Monarch Ogiame Atuwase 111.”
According to NDTJ, ” It is curious that despite the glaring evidence of poor performance, the NNPCL is considering increasing the scope of jobs to PINL. This ethnic favouritism was what led to the Warri crisis of 2001 and 2002. This must be avoided this time around.”
Groups dismiss allegations
However, a group named Niger Delta Women for Change (NDWC) dismissed allegations of oil pipeline surveillance contracts racketeering by NDTJ against Ms Eyesan, describing them as baseless.
The NDWC President, Mr Esiri Ikomoni, speaking at a news conference in Warri, Delta State, said: “NNPCL adheres to a strict and transparent procurement process, ensuring that contracts are awarded based on merit, competitiveness and compliance with all relevant regulations.
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“Mrs. Eyesan has consistently demonstrated her commitment to ethical practices, promoting a level- playing field for all stakeholders involved in the procurement process.”
Ms Ikomoni said that in the face of baseless and malicious attacks, Mrs. Eyesan stood resilient, determined to reframe the narrative surrounding her dedicated service and outstanding achievements.
“As a key strategist of one of Africa’s biggest companies, she led teams that developed corporate strategy, influenced government policies, regulations, laws, while orchestrating commercial agreements (including infrastructure development for local and multinational projects),” Ikomoni said.
Also, another group, Niger Delta Grassroots Coalition (NDGC), described the allegations as false. Coordinator, Prince Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, questioned the motive behind the accusations, revealing that there was objection when contracts were awarded under the leadership of an Ijaw executive. The NDGC criticised the NDTJ for resorting to blackmail and ethnic bias rather than engaging in a fair and transparent process if the group desired the surveillance contract.
