By Christian Njoku
The National Patriotic Front for Tinubu (NPFFT) is seeking independent investigation into alleged exclusion of Cross River indigenes in the 2026 promotion exercise by the Nigeria Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for senior management positions.
The Director-General, Mr Castro Ezama, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Calabar.
He stated that no fewer than 106 officers were promoted across four senior management cadres during the exercise.
According to Ezama, Cross River indigenes were represented across all four cadres, yet none reportedly appeared on the final promotion list released by the commission.
He alleged that other South-South states recorded at least three successful officers each, saying, “this disparity requires immediate scrutiny to establish whether the process was properly conducted”
Ezama said that the body was not in any way demanding preferential treatment Cross River indigenes.
He said that the group’s interest was to ensure that the process was determined by competence, transparency, performance, and established criteria.
“We request state-by-state outcomes, including eligible, assessed, and successful officers by cadre, while personal information and legitimate confidentiality should receive appropriate protection.
“We call for affected officers to receive their individual results, reasons for decisions, and access to a credible appeal process for reviewing disputed promotion outcomes,” he said.
The director general urged the Federal Character Commission to examine the exercise and determine whether applicable Federal Character requirements and guidelines were observed.
He also urged relevant senate committees to request promotion records, ensure fair hearing, and support evidence-based resolution of the allegations raised.
Reacting to the matter, Sen. Magnus Abe, told NAN that promotion within the commission was determined by employees’ work, performance assessments, and management recommendations, rather than ethnicity or state of origin.
Abe, the Chairman, NUPRC Board, advised employees who were not promoted to remain patient, saying that promotion opportunities would present themselves in the future.
He urged complainants to use the appropriate channels to canvass their grievances, and assured them that genuine complaints would be reviewed by the commission. (NAN)