Okadigbo Named Chairman, Ararume Loses Out as Buhari Appoints 9-member NNPC Board

About two months after President Muhammadu Buhari directed the suspension of the inauguration of a Board he had announced for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the president on Wednesday approved the appointment of a nine-man board members for the NNPC in accordance with the power vested in him under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, with the exclusion of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who he had then announced as Chairman.

The president also appointed four Executive Commissioners for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to a statement issued by the Media Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, the new NNPC Limited Board Chairman is Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo (South East); Mele Kolo Kyari was announced as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Umar I. Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Other members of the Board 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.

Also appointed were Executive Commissioners for the NUPRC which included 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.

Also, the new appointees at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority were 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 are to 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 by President Buhari.

Similarly, for the Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund, its new Council Members announced by the president were: Mr. Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr. Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina).

The President had in September,2021 informed 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.

No reason was given for the removal of Ararume from the board.

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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