President Bola Tinubu has celebrated Mele Kolo Kyari, the group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, on his 60th birthday, saying he embodies the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

A statement by the presidential aide Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday night said, “The president commends Kyari’s diligence in transforming the NNPCL into a profitable organisation.”

According to the statement, Mr Tinubu hailed Mr Kyari for resuscitating two refineries and acknowledged his efforts to increase natural gas consumption and boost oil production.

“Kyari is a shining example and embodiment of the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda. I commend his commitment to creating new opportunities and ensuring the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s energy sector,” the statement quoted the president.

Mr Tinubu’s greetings came as rumours intensified in the media about his purported plan to retire Mr Kyari upon clocking 60, a statutory retirement age for public officeholders.

However, the president reserves the power to keep any federal appointees in office beyond the statutory expiration of tenure, as allegedly done for 12 top NIS officers who were already due for retirement. It was also speculated that Mr Tinubu extended the tenure of IGP Kayode Egbetokun despite being officially due for retirement.

Mr Kyari officially took over from Maikanti Baru as GMD in 2019 and has been extolled for exhibiting a steep understanding of the complex agency, which is the largest source of revenues for Nigeria.

Mr Tinubu has shown no signs of sending Mr Kyari on retirement, and today’s message speaking to the GMD’s competence and vision appeared to be a veiled statement to those pushing leadership changes at the NNPC to end the campaign.