Editor: It is unacceptable for officials of any government agency to insult or disparage elected public office holders. It is even worse when the object of attack is a state governor. It is a serious matter because it touches on the fundamentals of our democracy.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had reacted to the comments made by Governor Ibikunle Amosun that the negligence of the corporation was responsible for the regular pipeline vandalism at Arepo village in Ogun State. The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs of the Corporation, Ms Tumini Green reportedly said, “It is sad that the Governor of Ogun State who should know the importance of national assets like pipelines and do everything in his power to protect them is engaging in a blame game when every responsible Nigerian citizen is wondering why Arepo, which is in his domain has become such an attractive spot for oil thieves and pipeline vandals.” (Vanguard, Thisday, Mirror and The Guardian, 15/01/13)
This comment can be interpreted that the governor of about five million people of Ogun State is “irresponsible”, for if he was a “responsible Nigerian citizen” he should have been “wondering why Arepo, which is in his domain has become such an attractive spot for oil thieves and pipeline vandals.”
Ms Green, a government worker, was not done with her insults: “She urged Governor Amosun… to protect the pipelines in his domain to sustain product supply to the state rather than engage in unnecessary rhetoric”.
For a government worker to declare that an “elected” governor of a federating state in Nigeria is engaging in “unnecessary rhetoric” is the height of infamy, worse from a corporation that is perceived as the epicentre of monumental corruption and inefficiency.
This really goes against the grain in a democracy, for public servants to disparage “elected” office holders, worse of the status of a governor.
I do hope the unguarded comments of the NNPC official will attract appropriate sanctions from the appropriate quarters.
James Ikechukwu,
Owerri, Imo State.
