News
Kyari: Driving Culture of Transparency, Professionalism, Productivity
Mele Kolo Kyari is driving high performances index in spite of the daunting challenges since assuming the mantle of leadership and has worked assiduously with the corporation and the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry for over 33 years. The reform-minded oil and gas industry technocrat unfolded an agenda for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited’s rebirth, calling it the Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE), a five-step tracking and strategic road map for NNPC’s attainment of efficiency, effectiveness and global competitiveness and excellence.
He pivoted and pioneered a unique new lease of life in terms of institutional building, infrastructural development; championing a new management of ideas into the next millennium, by driving change and expanding the scope of NNPC’s operations like never before.
For the first time in the history of NNPC, after 43 years, it published its financial account to the public. This is no mean achievement.
Defying all the odds with outstanding financial performance since he assumed office, thereby making his plans very clear, which has also transformed the corporation into a Limited Liability Company in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
These efforts have yielded impressive results, with Nigeria now the largest producer of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Africa, and one of the top ten producers globally. This feat has earned the country’s gas reserves, estimated at over 200 trillion cubic feet, providing a huge opportunity for growth and development.
This has made Nigeria taken full advantage of the potential. Under Mele Kolo Kyari’s direction and strategic policy template, the NNPC has launched several initiatives, including the Nigerian Petroleum Exchange (NPEX), a platform for trading Nigerian crude oil and other petroleum products and the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIP), a $200m (200 Dollar million fund) aimed at supporting the development of local content in the industry.
According to Honourable Philip Agbese (APC, Benue), representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, “The biggest legacy has been the approval of fuel subsidy removal which has already saved Nigeria over one trillion Naira (N1trillion).
Hon. Agbese further described the “350MV First Phase of the NNPC Limited Gwagwalada Independent Power Project (GIPP) as the brainchild of Kyari.” This, no doubt, is a legacy that will remain in the footprints of time and future generations of Nigerians.
In view of the foregoing, the attention of the Coalition of over 250 frontline Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Activists, the Human Rights Community as well as that of Media Executives has been drawn to the recent editorial publication of a mainstream newspaper.
The editorial under reference wilfully maligned the selfless and pivotal sacrifices of the present management of the NNPC and asked for a change in the baton of leadership without taking into consideration the transformative and strategic milestones and achievements recorded since the assumption of Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari’s proactive leadership.
From all indications, there was no iota of truth whatsoever in the editorial, as it lacks merit; it is outright falsehood, mischievous fallacies orchestrated and concocted to deceive the gullible Nigerian public, the African continent that has hopefully look at Nigeria as a “Big Brother.” This editorial falls short of all known rules that guide editorializing, which is supported to be guided by the basic truth, and nothing but the truth.
As Champions and Advocates of Accountability, Transparency and Good Governance practice in public office, it behooves on us, as “custodians of conscience of the people,” to right the wrongs and wholly dispel the negative orchestration and publish the succinct truth for Nigerians to be aware.
In a Press Statement signed by the under-listed executives of the organizations, “Within the first year of managing the NNPC, Engineer Kyari, through cost reduction strategy, was able to reduce NNPC’s losses from N803 billion in 2018 to N1.7 billion in 2019.” This was before the eventual declaration of N287 billion net profit in 2020, a feat hitherto unheard of in the annals of the then Corporation.
The Coalition went on to reveal that the NNPC was able to engage all its contractors and insisted on cutting cost to at least 30 per cent in the 2020 financial period, which pulled down most of its procurement cost by 30 per cent amidst the daunting challenges and harsh operating environment which had tested the resilience of institutions and businesses globally.
Notwithstanding, the NNPC continued to wither the storm by posting a profit of N674.1 billion in the 2021 financial period in view. This positive result came as global economies struggled with reactionary forces and weak economies.
However, in spite of tough and volatile environment, the Company’s investment strategy proved resilient and enabled the National Oil to deliver favourable outcomes during the 2021 financial year. That made the Company to become a CAMA (Companies and Allied Matters Act) registered entity in the same year. This, no doubt, followed the meticulous implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The group accounts of NNPC was listed by the Price WaterHouseCoopers, SIAO and Muntari Dangana Accounting firms. This financial year of 2021 was the fourth consecutive year that the NNPC would be declaring its financial statement in the public domain. These were the innovative and transformative leadership spearheaded by Engineer Kyari when he took over the affairs of the Company.
Consequently, other factors that contributed to the high profitability of the NNPC was the outcome of the N173.7 billion, arising from the reconciliation with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); stronger emphasis on performance management and measurement, rationalization of non-essential expenditure and implementation of the transparency and accountability agenda put in place by him.
There was also rapid increase in the revenue which was attributable to improvement in the production and price of crude oil during the period under review in line with the trajectory role of the leadership and management of TAPE which was the only way to turn around the Corporation’s fortunes and make it relevant and globally competitive, which roadmap ensured and still ensures transparency at maintaining a positive image, shared values of integrity and transparency to all stakeholders.
This occured while the accountability segment of the campaign was to assure compliance with business ethics, policies, regulation and accountability to all stakeholders.
In furtherance of our investigations, we discovered that innovative reforms have been implemented by the Group Chief Executive Officer and are yielding positive results for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which plans are centred around operational efficiency and output productivity and transparency for the Limited Liability Company, which was once a cesspool of corruption, and abuse of office.
Under Engineer Kyari, the management has transformed and revolutionized the way the nation produced and distributes its most vital resources, driven by a fierce sense of direction, purpose and an unshakable commitment to excellence and the implementation of a series of bold and innovative reforms that have changed the sector. It entered into partnership with Italian Oil Company, Eni, to rehabilitate and upgrade the refinery with a target of achieving full production capacity by the end of 2023.
These efforts have led to several innovations and initiatives designed to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the operations and the establishment of new trading subsidiary, the creation of a new crude oil marketing division, and the implementation of a new performance management system to enhance output and productivity.
Thereby dovetailing into a massive effort to increase domestic gas utilization, reduce its energy mix, reduce also its carbon footprint involving the development of a new gas infrastructure, the expansion of existing facilities and the promotion of gas-based industries such as petrochemicals and fertilizers never envisaged before.
The GIPP project is led by the NNPC in a Joint Venture with China Machinery and Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the EPC, and General Electric (GE) for the Long Term Service Agreement. This is designed to provide a reliable electricity; strengthen Nigeria’s energy sector and accelerate economic prosperity of the nation and very much on track towards sustainable growth and development.
Nevertheless, it was a known fact that Nigeria’s Extractive Industries Initiative (NEITI), a resource utilization watchdog and the Auditor-General of the Federation, dealing with the NNPC to get it to account for its financial transactions was distressing, because the Company was always recalcitrant in opening up its books for public scrutiny, but with the efforts of Engineer Kyari’s leadership, it all changed overnight, due to transparency, open door policy and for accountability purposes.
The era of opaqueness in managing the affairs of the Company has since ended. This was captured in the five steps for realizing the objectives of TAPE, according to our painstaking investigations which are: The NNPC opens up its systems to public scrutiny; Its operational processes were made transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people; the new systems would operative along with well-defined operational processes, benchmarked against established global best practices by world-class Oil and Gas Companies; set the right operational cost structure, to guarantee value addition towards NNPC’s sustained profitability and set achievable goals; priorities and performance standards and criteria, by developing suitable governance structures for its strategic business units, including the entrenchment of team-spirit, work ethics and collaboration with all key stakeholders to achieve set corporate goals.
With the above templates and innovations put in place, we are rest assured that Nigerians will, indeed, count visible footprints of milestones across all segments of the country’s petroleum industry – Upstream, Downstream, Gas and Power, as well as his interventions in other sectors related to the industry.
The Coalition noted that the AKK Pipeline Project considered to be at the heart of the country’s economic growth posited by the management to see that it is completed by the end of the year. The strategic Fuel Reserve/Refineries’ repairs is another major milestone of the Group Chief Executive Officer built over two billion litres by PMS, the country could fall back on till it was able to import more products, including the involvement of the local workforce, employing graduate trainees and engineers working with the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO), the engineering and technical subsidiary.
It is worthy of note, to also state that since the pivotal and proactive management came on board, Regulatory Compliance is topmost and the Implementation of various Financing Reporting Standards (IFRS), as well as Implementing the Centralized Invoice Processing Systems, applications and products to Remitta, SAP Funds Management and others for financial autonomy of the NNPC.
These involve SAP Enterprise Management Software in performance management, procure to pay, travel management to ensure automated and integrated operational processes. The management has also inaugurated the NNPC Delivery Team, charged with the responsibility of ensuring the effective performance tracking of top five priorities across the business, as well as launching the Code of Conduct and TIP Portal.
The Coalition can categorically state that, while expanding the frontiers and infrastructural development of its assets, the Engineer Kyari led management invested in Methanol of $3.6 billion in Bayelsa State, an Integrated Methanol and Gas Project in Odioma, Brass Land, Bayelsa State, which will commence operations next year with an expected production rate of 10,000 tons of Methanol daily.
Another US$260 million Finance Funding Agreement for ANOH Gas Processing Company Limited (AGPC). The project will deliver 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day and 1,200 megawatts of electricity to the domestic market and the launching of Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimization Programme (NUCOP) to drive the cost of crude oil production in the country, so as to remain competitive in the global market.
During our investigations, we found out that the Kyari-led management was proactive and had a strategic directional policy in place and template that encompasses the NPDC’s growing output, alternative financing deal for NPDC, the revision of unit costs for Joint Ventures, PSCs, sustaining average oil output, investment in Nigeria’s Train 7FID, the completion of power projects met on a ground and recent ones initiated by his leadership, and also the downstream sector covers ground like, Uninterrupted Fuel Supply; “Operation White” entrenching security and deepening of transparency, including the determination of the national daily consumption ratio.
These efforts have also produced refineries rehabilitation, the diversification of the NNPC portfolios, timely remittance of oil revenues to FAAC, revenue optimization and so many other benchmarks and challenges surpassed to make the NNPC a household name, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa, and reviving moribund subsidiaries and the expansion of oil drilling in Kolmani River II and benchmark for legal arbitration and the enhancement of leadership structure for the oil industry, fight against COVID-19, which was a major achievement and efforts that assisted the county to curtail the pandemic, which major funding was sponsored by the NNPC.
The Coalition can also authoritatively attest to the fact that the NNPC’s US$3 billion commitment letter and term-sheet for an emergency crude oil repayment loan has brought with it major advantages, because a fresh injection of US$3 billion into the country’s Foreign Exchange (FX) market would have a far greater impact on the entire economy as it would leverage other market forces and the economy, reduction or no increase in the pump price of petrol; increase the value of the Naira against the US Dollar and other currencies.
These are, indeed, pointers to the immediate benefits of the facility to Nigeria on a sustainable basis and, therefore, should be commended and applauded by well-meaning Nigerians, for the foresight, vision and forthrightness in sourcing the funds in the first place.
We, as well note that, through our painstaking investigations, the NNPC is very much on track towards sustainable growth and development, as it has presently constructed roads networks and rehabilitated over 21 roads under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme and on Tuesday, 21st December, 2021, it officially handed over N621 billion cheque to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
Presently, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has removed fuel subsidy and the present management of the NNPC are doing everything possible to regulate, manage, block loopholes used by oil marketers and keep the nation thriving in spite of the enormous challenges of managing issues of fuel subsidy removal, feared by previous administrations.
But, we are assured that by December 2023, the Portharcourt Refinery will be up and running and fully operational, according to the Minister of State, Oil and Gas. The issue of crude oil theft, economic sabotage, pipelines vandalism and smuggling across the borders, has become a major challenge as clandestine refineries are daily operated by saboteurs to cause economic loss running into billions of naira including illegal connections from base stations. The management of the NNPC, Service Chiefs, Minister of Defence and Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) are daily working assiduously, strategizing to arrest and prosecute organizations and individuals responsible for the economic theft and diversion of our national resources meant for development of the country.
Accordingly, the NNPC is in collaboration and partnership with civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the country in the delivery of their mandates of making government accountable to the people; Freedom of Expression; Freedom of Information; and enshrining good governance practice and accountability, as well as transparency in their operations nationwide, in its day-to-day affairs.
We therefore have no hesitation in passing a resounding Vote of Confidence on Engineer Kyari’s administration. We, as well, call on the International Community, stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to continuously support this proactive leadership to enable it further its commitment and efforts to the general good of the nation; reemphasizing that the editorial in reference is, indeed, hogwash, politically motivated, repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience. Hence, should be disregarded and discountenanced as fake news, hate speech, wilfully concocted by Fifth Columnists and traducers as well as agent-provocateurs.
Signed:
1. Comrade Umar Farouk, Convener, Africa for Peace Initiative Network (APIN)
2. Comrade Ejikeme Udeh, Secretary, Change Network for Leadership (CNL)
3. Comrade Okoronkwo James, National Coordinator, Peace and Advocacy Initiative (PAI)
4. Comrade Onoja Charles, Esq. Coordinator,Middlebelt Lawyers Forum (MLF)
5. Comrade Adio Wahab Salami, National Coordinator, Workers’ Rights Protection Network (WORP)
6. Comrade Gbenga Ashiru, National President, Amalgamated CSOs of Nigeria (ACN)
7. Comrade Ishaya Issa Saka, President, Coalition of CSOs Against Corruption (CCAC)
8. Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, Executive Secretary, Citizens Watch Advocacy Initiative(CWAI) & President, (GOCMEJ).
9. Comrade Johnson Eze,National Coordinator,Network for Change, Good Governance and Leadership (NCGL)
10. Comrade Michael Ekamon,National Convener, South-South Youths for Good Governance (SSYGG)
11. Comrade Gabriel Gwajime, President, Middle Belt Renaissance Group(MBRG)
Catholic cardinals have elected Robert Prevost, the first Pope from the United States of America, who has taken the new name Pope Leo XIV after the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting on Thursday.
Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi said it took cardinals only four rounds of voting to pick a new pope and that white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after a day’s voting is “a clear sign of the unity of the Church. ”
The Pontiff, picked even faster than his predecessor, Francis, appeared on the Vatican balcony amid enthusiastic cheers from thousands of faithful who packed St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday to witness the historic event.
“May peace be with all of you,” he said from the Vatican balcony after paying tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who gave his life to the service of humanity. He stressed that he wants to deliver his blessing to the people as Pope Francis did in his last appearance in St Peter’s Square.
After concluding his speech, the new Pope started reading a religious passage in Latin, paying homage to the saints and the Madonna. The pope continued with a message of peace and noted, “God loves us all, unconditionally”.
“Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges.
“Without fear, united hand in hand with God, we are the Disciples of Christ, and the world needs his light.
“Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I want to offer a greeting of peace to your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you,” he said.
Chicago-born Prevost, 69, is seen as a reformer who worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.
The cardinals strongly perceived that the new pope would need to carry forward Pope Francis’s legacy of reaching out to those on the margins and bring along with him a wide spectrum of those within the Church, including those with whom Pope Francis was sometimes at loggerheads.
Observers considered Cardinal Robert Prevost a candidate who could fulfil that role—someone who could be a bridge between different worlds.
The fact that the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting suggests that the cardinals agreed with that assessment.
Robert Prevost will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter. Although he is the first American to fill the role of Pope, he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru before becoming an archbishop there.
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Ecuadorian and French descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a priest in his home city.
He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges. He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which has the critical task of selecting and supervising bishops. Francis made him a cardinal less than two years ago.
As Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals who took part in the conclave, it is unsurprising that someone like Prevost was elected, even if he was only recently appointed.
He will be seen as a figure who favoured the continuity of Francis’ reforms in the Catholic Church. Prevost is believed to have shared Francis’ views on migrants, the poor and the environment.
He will be fully aware of the divisions within the Catholic Church, and his Latin American background also represents continuity after a Pope who came from Argentina.
During his time as archbishop in Peru, he did not escape the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church. However, his diocese fervently denied he had been involved in any attempted cover-up.
Before the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during gatherings of the College of Cardinals in the days before the conclave they emphasised the need for a pope with “a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair”.
Top 10 Things to Know About the New Pope, Robert Francis Prevost
1. First American Pope
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first pope from the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois.
2. Elected as the 267th Pope
He was chosen after a swift two-day conclave, becoming the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
3. Age and New Namel
At 69 years old, he adopted the papal name Leo XIV upon his election.
4. Deep Missionary Experience in Latin America
Prevost spent over a decade in Peru as a bishop and seminary educator, gaining respect for his pastoral leadership and cultural fluency.
5. Leader of the Augustinian Order
He led the Augustinians globally for over ten years, managing an international religious community.
6. Key Vatican Roles
Before becoming pope, he was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America—two influential positions in Church governance.
7. Academic and Legal Scholar
He holds degrees in mathematics, theology, and canon law, and has taught canon law in Latin America.
8. Calm, Reform-Oriented Leader
Known for his consensus-building style, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a clear-headed reformer continuing the legacy of Pope Francis.
9. Advocate for Women’s Inclusion
He supports meaningful female participation in Church governance, emphasising their real impact within Vatican bodies.
10. Mission-Driven Papacy
Pope Leo XIV remains committed to missionary work, global outreach, and addressing challenging issues like clerical abuse with humility and resolve.
Catholic cardinals have elected Robert Prevost, the first Pope from the United States of America, who has taken the new name Pope Leo XIV after the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting on Thursday.
Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi said it took cardinals only four rounds of voting to pick a new pope and that white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after a day’s voting is “a clear sign of the unity of the Church. ”
The Pontiff, picked even faster than his predecessor, Francis, appeared on the Vatican balcony amid enthusiastic cheers from thousands of faithful who packed St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday to witness the historic event.
“May peace be with all of you,” he said from the Vatican balcony after paying tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who gave his life to the service of humanity. He stressed that he wants to deliver his blessing to the people as Pope Francis did in his last appearance in St Peter’s Square.
After concluding his speech, the new Pope started reading a religious passage in Latin, paying homage to the saints and the Madonna. The pope continued with a message of peace and noted, “God loves us all, unconditionally”.
“Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges.
“Without fear, united hand in hand with God, we are the Disciples of Christ, and the world needs his light.
“Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I want to offer a greeting of peace to your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you,” he said.
Chicago-born Prevost, 69, is seen as a reformer who worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.
The cardinals strongly perceived that the new pope would need to carry forward Pope Francis’s legacy of reaching out to those on the margins and bring along with him a wide spectrum of those within the Church, including those with whom Pope Francis was sometimes at loggerheads.
Observers considered Cardinal Robert Prevost a candidate who could fulfil that role—someone who could be a bridge between different worlds.
The fact that the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting suggests that the cardinals agreed with that assessment.
Robert Prevost will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter. Although he is the first American to fill the role of Pope, he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru before becoming an archbishop there.
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Ecuadorian and French descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a priest in his home city.
He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges. He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which has the critical task of selecting and supervising bishops. Francis made him a cardinal less than two years ago.
As Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals who took part in the conclave, it is unsurprising that someone like Prevost was elected, even if he was only recently appointed.
He will be seen as a figure who favoured the continuity of Francis’ reforms in the Catholic Church. Prevost is believed to have shared Francis’ views on migrants, the poor and the environment.
He will be fully aware of the divisions within the Catholic Church, and his Latin American background also represents continuity after a Pope who came from Argentina.
During his time as archbishop in Peru, he did not escape the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church. However, his diocese fervently denied he had been involved in any attempted cover-up.
Before the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during gatherings of the College of Cardinals in the days before the conclave they emphasised the need for a pope with “a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair”.
Top 10 Things to Know About the New Pope, Robert Francis Prevost
1. First American Pope
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first pope from the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois.
2. Elected as the 267th Pope
He was chosen after a swift two-day conclave, becoming the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
3. Age and New Namel
At 69 years old, he adopted the papal name Leo XIV upon his election.
4. Deep Missionary Experience in Latin America
Prevost spent over a decade in Peru as a bishop and seminary educator, gaining respect for his pastoral leadership and cultural fluency.
5. Leader of the Augustinian Order
He led the Augustinians globally for over ten years, managing an international religious community.
6. Key Vatican Roles
Before becoming pope, he was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America—two influential positions in Church governance.
7. Academic and Legal Scholar
He holds degrees in mathematics, theology, and canon law, and has taught canon law in Latin America.
8. Calm, Reform-Oriented Leader
Known for his consensus-building style, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a clear-headed reformer continuing the legacy of Pope Francis.
9. Advocate for Women’s Inclusion
He supports meaningful female participation in Church governance, emphasising their real impact within Vatican bodies.
10. Mission-Driven Papacy
Pope Leo XIV remains committed to missionary work, global outreach, and addressing challenging issues like clerical abuse with humility and resolve.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
As the 2027 general elections approach, respected elder and retired military officer, Brigadier General Simon Katunku Gora, in a press statement today, made a compelling public appeal to the people of ZangoKataf/Jaba Federal Constituency, stressing the importance of adhering to the long-established zoning formula. He called all political actors and constituents to respect Zoning arrangement that has long fostered unity, stability, and inclusiveness in the region.
Speaking on the issue of zoning arrangement, Gen. Gora acknowledged the deep historical significance of the zoning system in ZangoKataf/Jaba federal constituency. According to him, the zoning principle wasn’t a product of political manipulation or favouritism. Rather, it was a mutual agreement among the region’s founding fathers a conscious decision to maintain equity, balance, and fair political representation for every community, regardless of size or influence.
“Our constituency has always stood on a foundation of mutual respect, collaboration and cooperation,” Gen. Gora stated.
He expressed deep concern over what he described as an increasing disregard for the zoning arrangement. Gen. Gora warned that political ambition and selfish interests are beginning to erode the spirit of unity the zoning system was built to protect.
“It is heartbreaking to witness betrayals of this noble system,” Gen. Gora said. “When individuals prioritise their personal gain over collective agreements, they plant seeds of division, instability, and mistrust. We must remember: a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
He urged politicians to resist the temptation of political shortcuts, reminding them that leadership is not simply about acquiring power it’s about sacrifice, responsibility, and service to the people and humanity.
Addressing those eager to contest in the 2027 general election for ZangoKataf/Jaba federal constituency outside the agreed zoning rotation, he advised them to wait for their turn. Gen. Gora was clear and unwavering: “Wait your turn.” He emphasised that respecting the zoning order wouldn’t only strengthens the democratic process but also reinforces the core values of justice and accountability.
“Leadership is more than occupying an office,” he stated. “It is a sacred duty rooted in integrity and humility. Those who seek to lead must first prove themselves capable of self-restraint and honouring agreements.” he said.
He also reminded his audience that breaking the zoning consensus for short-term political gain could have long-lasting consequences on social harmony and development within the constituency. In his stirring address, he appealed to all citizens youths, traditional rulers, political leaders, and community stakeholders to prioritise the future over fleeting ambition. He called on everyone to defend the zoning arrangement as a legacy of equity that must be preserved for coming generations.
“We must not rewrite the rules simply to satisfy today’s interests,” he declared. “Let’s honour the collective sacrifices of our elders and protect the values they instilled through consensus and dialogue.” he stated.
Gen. Gora further emphasised that the zoning system was not just a political tool, but a symbol of unity, and its continuity was essential for maintaining peace, stability, and fairness across all communities in ZangoKataf and Jaba federal constituency.
In his closing remarks Gen. Gora call to action, urging every segment of society to rise above personal agendas and uphold the zoning principle as a unifying framework. He insisted that the zoning system remains the best path forward to ensure equal participation and representation. “To all stakeholders youths, elders, traditional leaders, and political actors let us work together to protect our shared values,” Gen. Gora said. “In doing so, we will secure a stronger, more united ZangoKataf/Jaba for generations to come.”