Nigeria News

Buhari appoints Okadigbo’s widow, Margaret Chuba NNPC board chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has dropped Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as chairman for the Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited naming Senator Margaret Chuba Okadigbo as chairman instead.

On September 19, 2021, Buhari had approved the constitution of a board for the NNPC with Ararume as chairman in accordance with Section 59(2) of the PIA 2021.

However, on November 23, 2021, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, a day before inauguration of the board, announced Buhari’s approval of the indefinite suspension of the inauguration of the newly constituted board.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, yesterday, announced  Margret Okadigbo, widow to Senator Chuba Okadigbo, one time running mate to President Buhari, as the new chairman of the NNPC board.

Mele Kyari was named Chief Executive Officer and Umar Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer for the oil firm. Also on the board are Dr Tajudeen Umar, representing the North East; Mrs Lami  Ahmed, North Central;  Mallam Mohammed Lawal, North West; Henry Obih, South East; 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. 

Adesina also announced the new executive commissioners of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. They are Dr Nuhu Habib (Kano), Executive Commissioner, Development and Production; Dr Kelechi Ofoegbu (Imo), Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning; Capt. Tonlagha John (Delta), Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, and Jide Adeola (Kogi), Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services and Administration. 

Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority also had Francis Ogaree (Rivers) as 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. 

For Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund, the new council members are Mr Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa) and Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina). 

President Buhari had last September written the senate on the administrative structure amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 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.

Jessy Oche

Jesse Oche is a young writer with passion for sports and agro journalism. He loves traveling and reading.

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