A political support group aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), alleging that indigenes of Cross River State were unfairly disadvantaged in the agency’s 2026 staff promotion exercise, and demanding an immediate review of the results.
In a three-page letter dated 8 September 2026 and addressed to the Commission Chief Executive, the National Patriotic Front for Tinubu (NPFFT) described the outcome of the exercise as “a serious case of inequity, marginalisation and unfair treatment” of employees from the South-South state.
The letter, signed by the group’s Director General, Castro Ezama, bears an acknowledgement stamp from the Office of the Commission Chief Executive.
Not merely about promotion
The group framed its complaint as a question of institutional integrity rather than individual career grievances.
“The issue before the Commission is not merely about promotion,” the letter states. “It concerns fairness, equal opportunity, institutional justice and confidence in the integrity of the Commission’s personnel management system.”
The NPFFT acknowledged that promotions within a professional regulatory body “must be based on established criteria, including merit, performance, qualification, experience, availability of positions and applicable regulations.”
However, it argued that where an outcome “gives rise to a credible perception that a particular state or group of employees has been disproportionately disadvantaged, the responsible institution has an obligation to examine the circumstances and reassure affected personnel that the process was transparent, objective and fair.”
The letter did not disclose the number of employees affected, nor did it provide statistical data comparing promotion outcomes across states.
Seven specific demands
The group set out a series of requests to the Commission, including:
- An immediate review of the 2026 promotion results concerning affected Cross River State indigenes;
- Publication of the promotion criteria used to determine successful candidates, “subject to applicable staff regulations and confidentiality requirements”;
- An objective comparative assessment of promotion outcomes across states and cadres “to establish whether any significant disparity exists”;
- Immediate corrective measures where any error, inconsistency, omission or unfair treatment is established;
- A complaints mechanism allowing affected officers to submit evidence and requests for reconsideration “without fear of victimisation or retaliation.”.
Warning against silence
While stressing that the appeal was “not intended to undermine the authority of the Commission or the integrity of its management,” the group warned that inaction could prove costly.
“Silence or failure to investigate credible allegations of unequal treatment could further deepen the perception of marginalisation and erode the confidence of affected employees in the fairness of the Commission’s administrative processes,” the letter reads.
It added: “Cross River State indigenes serving the NUPRC are Nigerians. They have contributed, and continue to contribute, to the growth and effectiveness of the Commission. They should not have to plead for what is legitimately theirs under a fair and transparent promotion system.”
The letter closes with the appeal: “Justice delayed may deepen the grievance; justice promptly administered will restore confidence.”
Context
Questions of ethnic and geographical balance in federal appointments and promotions are politically sensitive in Nigeria, where the constitution’s “federal character” principle requires that the composition of federal agencies reflect the country’s diversity in order to promote national unity and prevent domination by any one group or section.
The NUPRC, established under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, is the regulator for Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector the country’s principal source of export earnings. Cross River State, though located in the oil-producing South-South geopolitical zone, lost its offshore oil wells to neighbouring Akwa Ibom State following a 2012 Supreme Court ruling, a decision that remains a live political grievance in the state.
The Commission had not issued a public response at the time of publication.
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