Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has publicly called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint what he described as "mad men" to lead Nigeria's petroleum sector, arguing that the country's energy challenges demand officials bold enough to break entrenched systems and deliver measurable results. Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East in the Senate, made the appeal in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, framing his message as one coming from a supporter of the Tinubu administration rather than a critic.
Murray-Bruce Defines 'Mad Men' as Result-Driven Officials
The former senator clarified that he was not using the phrase literally. By "mad men," he said he meant officials who are "obsessed with results," willing to challenge powerful interests, and ready to become unpopular if that is what achieving national goals requires. He pointed to Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Olayemi Cardoso and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu as examples of the type of officials he believes Tinubu needs in larger numbers across government.
"Look at the Central Bank under Olayemi Cardoso. Whatever disagreements anybody may have with individual policies, there is no question that the institution has undergone a serious reset," Murray-Bruce said. He also acknowledged Ribadu's role in bringing greater coordination to Nigeria's security architecture, despite the country's ongoing security challenges. "These are two mad men," he said. "Two mad men are not enough for a country of more than 200 million people."
Refineries and Crude Production in Focus
Murray-Bruce directed his sharpest criticism at the petroleum sector, urging the president to make the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries a priority. He argued that Nigerians had heard too many explanations involving "turnaround maintenance, contractors, technical reviews, committees, timelines and billions spent." "We want products coming out of those refineries," he said.
He proposed that the three government-owned facilities should collectively target at least 50% of the Dangote Refinery's 650,000 barrels-per-day nameplate capacity, which he put at roughly 325,000 barrels per day of reliable throughput. He also urged the government to position Nigeria as an exporter of refined petroleum products to Africa and global markets, rather than continuing to export crude oil while importing refined fuel.
On crude production, he challenged Tinubu to find an official capable of pursuing the administration's four million barrels per day target by 2030. "Find somebody who considers 1.5 million barrels unacceptable when the national ambition is 4 million," Murray-Bruce said. "I don't want another committee chairman. I want a mad man."
Direct Message to Presidential Appointees
He rounded off his appeal with a direct message to presidential appointees across the board, warning that those unwilling to confront vested interests or deliver results should exit government. "This is not a retirement home," he said. "No excuses. No clowns. No passengers. Only results."
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ben Bruce shared how he launched the media and entertainment empire with just a N20,000 loan borrowed from his siblings in 1980. Bruce explained that his passion for entertainment was sparked at age 13 after watching a James Brown concert.
