The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC has cautioned politicians and those seeking elective positions in this year’s General Elections against using the corporation or its top management staff as canon folders in their campaigns.

The Group general Manager, Group Public Affair Division of the NNPC Mr. Ndu Ughammadu who gave the advise in an interview with Abuchi Nwozor of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) on the sidelines of a meeting between the NNPC and African Union of Transportation and Logistics Organisation in Abuja said that using the corporation as a launch pad for politicians attacks against opponents is not only a disservice to the nation but also inimical to the growth of the nation’s economy.

According to Mr. Ughammadu, the call for restraints by politicians has become necessary in the wake of the names of some of its top management staff being dragged into partisan politics.

He said that as a National Oil Company with partners in almost all the continents across the globe, the ongoing attempts by politicians to drag the name of NNPC into the murky arena of partisan politics, portents dangers to the corporation’s business interests , its multi- facetted contract deals , and memorandum of Understandings which should ordinarily be insulated form political interest.

Mr. Ughammadu urged political office seekers to note that the NNPC is a public corporate entity run by well groomed technocrats who are apolitical and inclined only to their responsibility to the
governments and Nigerians irrespective of religion, tribe or political inclinations.