Araraume lost out in a political chess game to Hope Uzodimma who sees him and Okorocha as a threat to his political control of Imo politics
When in September 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ifeanyi Araraume as board chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, his former political ally, Hope Uzodimma, moved against the appointment.
Hope Uzodimma, Ifeanyi Araraume and Rochas Okorocha had banded against ex-Governor Emeka Ihedioha and ensured he was removed as governor by the Supreme Court. After the party, Governor Hope Uzodimma who took over from Emeka Ihedioha started clipping the wings of his friends – Araraume and Okoriocha, in a deft move to deprive them of the means to also plot against him. He first ensured that Araraume did not emerge as a candidate in the Imo North Senatorial by-election conducted last year. When Buhari tried to compensate Araraume with an appointment as the NNPC board chairman, he moved against that too.
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Buhari directs incorporation of NNPC Ltd, appoints Araraume board chairman
Now, Buhari has appointed Margret Chuba Okadigbo as the board chairman of the NNPC Limited, finally sealing the fate of Araraume.
Margret is the wife of the late former senate president, Chuba Okadigbo.
Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, announced her appointment in a statement on Wednesday.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed the board and management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, in accordance with the power vested in him under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021,” the statement reads.
“Chairman of the Board is Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo (South East), Mele Kolo Kyari, Chief Executive Officer, and Umar I. Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer.
“Other Board Members are; 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.”
The president also appointed executive commissioners of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
They are Nuhu Habib (Kano), executive commissioner, Development and Production, 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,” the statement added.
“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 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, new council members are; Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr. Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina).”
President Buhari had last September written the senate on the administrative structure amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act, which included the 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.