BREAKING: Buhari Dumps Araraume As NNPC Board Chair, Appoints ex-Senate President’s Wife In His Place

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed the Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, with wife of the late Senate President, Chuba Okadigho, Margery from Southeast zone, as chairman.

BIGPENNGR reports that the appointment, according to Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, (Media and Publicity), in a statement on Wednesday, is in accordance with the power vested in him under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

Okadigbo replaced the initial chairman-nominee, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, in the aftermath of a highwire Imo local politics that caused a presidential review of the initial appointment, according to report in TheNewsGuru.

The report, quoting unverified sources alleged that Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma deployed all contacts, using his office to throw spanner in the works for Araraume.

“Uzodinma had reportedly been ill at ease with Araraume’s appointment as chairman of NNPC Board, believing that with the office, Araraume’s influence would be further enhanced and would pose a real threat to his (Uzondinma’s) re-election bid”, it reads.

In a statement, Adesina said that Chairman of the NNPC’s Board is Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo (South East), Mele Kolo Kyari, Chief Executive Officer, and Umar I. Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer.

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Other Board Members are; Dr Tajudeen Umar (North East), Mrs Lami O. Ahmed (North Central), Mallam Mohammed Lawal (North West), Engr. Henry Obih (South East), Barrister Constance Harry Marshal (South South), and Chief Pius Akinyelure(South West).

The appointments take effect from the date of the incorporation of the NNPC Limited, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, (Media and Publicity) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Also appointed are Executive Commissioners of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. They are: Dr Nuhu Habib (Kano), Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Dr Kelechi Onyekachi Ofoegbu (Imo), Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning, Capt. Tonlagha Roland John (Delta), Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, and Jide Adeola (Kogi), Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services and Administration.

Earlier appointed are the Board Chairman, CEO, Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management, and Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts.

New appointees at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority are Francis Alabo Ogaree (Rivers), Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mustapha Lamorde (Adamawa), Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, Mansur Kuliya (Kano), Executive Director, Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, Bashir Sadiq (Sokoto), Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration, and Dr Zainab Gobir (Kwara), Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning.

They join the Board Chairman, Executive Director, Downstream Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, the CEO, and Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, who had earlier been appointed.

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For Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund, new Council Members are; Mr Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr. Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina).

It will be recalled that President Buhari had last September written the Senate on the administrative structure amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act, which included appointment of Non-Executive Board Members, removal of the Ministries of Petroleum and Finance from the Board of the two new institutions, and appointment of Executive Directors.