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[PRESS RELEASE] Reports of Atiku Abubakar’s Resignation from PDP Are Malicious Lies and a Political Hatchet Job
Admin![[PRESS RELEASE] Reports of Atiku Abubakar’s Resignation from PDP Are Malicious Lies and a Political Hatchet Job](/media/k2/items/cache/f212bb1e44fe8e2c6f99f42e384c30bd_L.jpg)
We ordinarily would not waste words on faceless social media platforms like the so-called "Adamawa Happenings." However, in light of inquiries from concerned Nigerians and credible members of the press, we are compelled to set the record straight:
His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has not — we repeat, has not — resigned from the PDP. He remains a steadfast, bonafide, and loyal member of the party.
The source of this baseless rumour is a Facebook page peddling falsehoods, evidently orchestrated by desperate political operatives with nothing but mischief and confusion on their agenda. It is a calculated attempt to mislead the public and sow discord among the millions of Nigerians who look to Atiku Abubakar for direction and leadership.
This is not just fake news — it is a crude, shameless political hatchet job.
We urge Nigerians, especially supporters of the Waziri Adamawa, to disregard this malicious fabrication. It is a vile, vexatious ploy that deserves nothing but contempt.
Atiku Abubakar remains committed to the ideals of the PDP and to the democratic aspirations of the Nigerian people.
Signed:
Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party
Abuja
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission ( FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has described the coronation of the 46th Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ́, Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé, as a giant leap in Yoruba renaissance.
According to Prof. Olaopa, the coronation of a new Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ is always an event that possesses social, political and cultural symbolism and significance. "This is why I deeply congratulate His Imperial Majesty, Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé, on the ascension of the throne of his fathers. This is an event whose significance transcends Yorùbáland and reverberates into the Yorùbá diaspora and the entire world where Yorùbá sociocultural and political influence is felt."
This is contained in a congratulatory message Olaopa issued to celebrate the new monarch whose coronation takes place on Saturday April 5, 2025 .
To Olaopa, the new Aláàfin is "wearing big shoes not just as the successor of the charismatic and highly influential leadership of past rulers, from Aláàfin Atìbà Atọ́batẹ́lẹ̀ to the unforgettable Aláàfin Lamidi Adéyẹmí—the traditional geniuses whose deep sense of history enabled them to curate the cultural relevance of the ancients and their traditional wisdom and institutions. He is also the inheritor of the great ancient tradition and heroic achievements of the leadership accomplishments from Ọ̀rànmíyàn to Ṣàngó, those whose foresights and selfless humanism laid the foundation of the formidable Ọ̀yọ́ Empire, and a cultural philosophy that gave the idea of the ọmọlúwàbì to the world."
For Olaopa, therefore, this ascension is therefore not a sinecure as he is confronted "with a modernizing imperative that serves as the core of the urgency of facilitating a Yorùbá renaissance at home and abroad. This renaissance must be founded on the rich tapestries of Yorùbá culture and civilization—that the Yorùbá built cities and founded dynasties; they created cultural dynamics and oversaw resilient political institutions; they conquered lands and incubate an entrepreneurial spirit that kept them on the critical frontiers of multidimensional achievements that have weathered the erosion of time. All this makes the Aláàfin a singular figure—a traditional agent of modernization that stands at the crossroads of managing the orthodoxy of tradition while launching the Yorùbá on the path of renewed modern vigor. This is even all the more so as traditional institutions in Nigeria places the traditional ruler within the context of democratic rejuvenation and consolidation. This is because it is at the level of the traditional institutional framework that Nigeria’s local governance dynamics become clarified and revitalized.
"The Aláàfin therefore becomes a symbolic pointer to the possibility of local governance that serves also as a modernizing influence on grassroots development. Yorùbá renaissance must therefore start at the level at which the Aláàfin constitutes the rallying point for southwest socioeconomic development. But this role as the vanguard of local governance means the Aláàfin has to first stimulate a climate of peaceful coexistence that constitutes the most significant element for socioeconomic development, starting from Afijio communities to the Òkè-Ògùn axis and rolling outward to the entire southwest as a corridor of development that builds on a climate of peace to instigate an industrializing progress that will eclipse past developmental efforts."
For the new monarch to realise these, according to Olaopa, he must be able to "stand above the recurring adversarial relationship that seems to define the relationship between the Aláàfin and the Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀. This is one historical moment when the Aláàfin needs to be meticulous and deliberate in deploying his status, as the symbol of cultural unity, to articulate a relational framework that will ensure that all cultural and political resources are harnessed towards the task of making Yorùbáland a source of exemplary leadership that undermines the depth of irrelevance to which traditional rulers and traditional institutions have been reduced in Nigeria’s contemporary sociocultural and political reckoning.
" The ascension of the monarch will bring a cosmopolitan touch to modernize tradition for the emancipation of Oyo people.I see the coronation of His Imperial Majesty, Kábíyèsí Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé as the signal to a new beginning not just for the Ọ̀yọ́, Òkè-Ògùn and the southwest, but essentially for the injection of a youthful dose of creative and cultural innovation into Nigeria’s democratic experiment. May the reign of His Imperial Majesty, Aláyélúwà, Kábíyèsí Ọ̀wọ́adé be long and peaceful and fruitful—Àṣẹ!."
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam as the Managing Director, Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement released on Friday and signed by Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations for: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Imohiosen stated that the appointment takes effect from 3rd April, 2025 and is in accordance with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act 2008 as amended.
Until his appointment, Nasir served as the Technical Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Steel Development as well as the Special Assistant (Academics) to Director General of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) .
“President Tinubu tasks the appointee to leverage on his wealth of experience in the steel industry in his new assignment in revolutionising the company to generate important upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities that will position the nation as the industrial hub of Africa in line with the diversification drive of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.
The sacked Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has handed over the company’s reins to his successor, Bayo Ojulari.
The NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed in a statement that the handover took place briefly at the NNPC Towers on Friday in Abuja.
Ojulari commended Kyari for his contributions to the growth of NNPC Ltd and his sterling service to the nation.
According to him, his management’s objective was to consolidate his predecessor’s successes and take the company to the next level.
Ojulari said that although the targets set for his management were quite enormous, he would be relying on the cooperation of the management and staff of the company, as well as the counsel of his predecessor to achieve set targets.
Ojulari told Kyari, “I will be counting on your support. I will need it. I will be coming around to seek your counsel.”
In his remarks, Kyari congratulated Ojulari and thanked the management and staff of the company for their support while in office.
Kyari also pledged to do everything within his power to support the new management to succeed, stressing that he was only a call away.
[STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Mourns Bauchi-based Cleric Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi
Admin![[STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Mourns Bauchi-based Cleric Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi](/media/k2/items/cache/61d8d990d090dc83208401c94c1cd738_M.jpg)
President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the passing of Bauchi-based Islamic cleric Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi, who passed away in the early hours of Friday.
He was 68 years old.
President Tinubu, deeply moved by the loss, said the cleric contributed to moulding millions of youths and other Muslim faithful on the tenets of Islam.
The President extolled Dr Abdulaziz's efforts in countering the spread of violent extremism, especially in the early days of the Boko Haram conflict.
He said the Muslim faithful would greatly miss the cleric's trenchant voice, calling for moral rectitude and probity.
While praying for the repose of Dr Abdulaziz's soul, President Tinubu urged his family and followers to find solace in his good work.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
Court Restrains Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Others from Public Commentary on Suspension Suit
Admin
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Honourable Justice Binta Nyako has issued a restraining order barring all parties involved in the ongoing legal challenge surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from making public statements or granting media interviews on the matter.
The case, which was recently reassigned to Justice Nyako following the recusal of Justice Egwuatu, came up for mention today. The court took appearances from legal counsel representing both parties. Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, appeared for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, while Umeh Kalu, SAN; Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN; Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN; and Paul Daudu, SAN, represented the Senate and its committee.
Justice Nyako noted that several applications had been filed, including preliminary objections challenging the originating summons. She directed all counsel to submit to the Court Registrar a list and brief description of their filed processes, indicating which are deemed relevant or otherwise, ahead of the next adjourned date.
The Court further directed that all preliminary objections and the substantive suit would be consolidated and heard together on the next hearing date. Justice Nyako emphasized that in cases involving conflicting affidavit evidence, oral testimony may be required to ensure substantial justice. However, she clarified that the issue of jurisdiction would be determined first before any consideration of the substantive claims made by the plaintiff in the same judgment
Of particular significance, Justice Nyako issued a formal order restraining all parties, including Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, their legal representatives, and members of the 10th National Assembly, from making public comments on the case through any media platforms, traditional or social. The restriction also extends to legal and political analysts, commentators, and media guests on radio and television programmes.
This development follows recent public engagements by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, including comments made at the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in New York, where she alleged that her suspension was a result of accusations she made concerning sexual harassment by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She subsequently granted interviews to multiple local and international media outlets, including the BBC, SKY, and DEW.
The matter has been adjourned to May 12, 2025, for hearing of all interlocutory applications and the substantive case. A date for judgment will be scheduled thereafter.
Naija News reports that the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment, on Friday, by a five-member panel, held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure the national chairman of the LP having earlier found that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of the party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious.
It proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure’s faction of the LP for not being unmeritorious.
More Details later...
[NaijaNews]
The Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has tendered his resignation, sources within the presidency have confirmed.
According to report by a national daily on Friday, Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), reportedly submitted his resignation about two weeks ago. However, as of the time of this report, it remained unclear whether the presidency has officially accepted his resignation or not.
While the reasons for his resignation were not publicly disclosed, insiders suggested that it was based on his personal volition.
Baba-Ahmed’s time in the presidency was not without controversy. His role, particularly his affiliations with the NEF, drew criticism from some quarters, including Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
In April 2024, Matawalle criticised northern appointees who, in his view, remained silent in the face of criticisms against the Tinubu administration. His remarks were widely seen as a direct jab at Baba-Ahmed, following the latter’s defence of the NEF after the group suggested that the North had made a mistake in voting for President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
Baba-Ahmed had argued that rather than attacking the NEF, Matawalle should have focused on showcasing his achievements in government.
“Scathing criticism of NEF by the junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised,” Baba-Ahmed wrote. “He could have done a better job for this administration if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North.”
Matawalle, however, fired back, insisting that all government appointees had a duty to promote the administration they served.
“As an appointee of this administration, it is his responsibility to work for its success, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons,” Matawalle stated.
He further emphasised that, “Every appointee of President Tinubu, including Dr. Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote, elucidate, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.”
Born on September 11, 1955, in Kaduna State, Baba-Ahmed has had a distinguished career in public service. A retired senior civil servant, he previously served as Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before retirement. He also served as Chief of Staff to former Senate President Bukola Saraki in the 8th Senate.
He studied at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, as well as the London School of Economics and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.
Baba-Ahmed began his career as a lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, before transitioning into the Kaduna State Civil Service. He later moved to the Federal Civil Service, where he rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary, serving in various ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
A recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Baba-Ahmed has long been an advocate for governance reforms and northern interests. Before joining the Tinubu administration, he was the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the NEF, a position in which he often spoke against policies perceived to be detrimental to the North.
[Leadership]
•Cancels all pending procurement, tender processes by suspended state govt
•Rivers women urge Tinubu to annul Fubara’s suspension, seek peace in state
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd), has said an appropriation bill for 2025 was being articulated to provide for critical development in healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and infrastructure.
Ibas has therefore cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes by the suspended state government.
Meanwhile, hundreds of women, under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite for Sim (RWUS), have urged President Bola Tinubu to cancel the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officers of the state.
Addressing the appropriation bill, Ibas said the anticipated budget would cater to creating more employment opportunities for Rivers people and advance delivery of technology in critical facets of public life.
He disclosed this yesterday, when he hosted the delegation of Rivers State caucus at the National Assembly, led by Dr Barinada Mpigi, the Senator representing Rivers South-East District, at Government House in Port Harcourt.
The delegates, who were mainly loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on the visit included Senator Allwell Onyesoh, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, Cyril Godwin Hart, Blessing Amadi, Felix Nwaeke, Kelechi Nwogu and Victor Obuzor
Ibas said he had been resolute, since assumption of office, to restore law and order, with support from the security agencies, saying the environment has been created where Rivers residents feel valued and safer.
The administrator stated that the commitment was to make Rivers a model of peace in the comity of States, with a stable economy and citizens courageous to pursue their livelihood without fear or molestation.
“In addition to our peace building efforts, we are also focused on the economic stability and development of Rivers State.
“Since the Supreme Court verdict on the state’s budget, we have acted swiftly and decided to put together a new budget that reflects our commitment to healthcare, education, social services, and continued infrastructural development.
“We have worked diligently to ensure that the process is transparent, inclusive, and most importantly expedited. Our goal is to ensure that we do not lose any more time in making the necessary investments that will improve the lives of citizens.”
In his speech, Senator Mpigi, said they were dedicated representatives of Rivers people at the National Assembly and resolved to support all efforts that would bring development to the State.
Also, in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Ibibia Worika, Ibas has cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes by the state government.
“In adherence to the Supreme Court judgement upholding the Appeal Court ruling in Suit No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024 and in the absence of an Appropriation Law, the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral (RTD.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, CFR, wishes to notify the general public that all procurement and tender processes that were carried out by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) during the period are hereby cancelled.
“Accordingly, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that carried out such tender processes for projects in their respective offices are, by this special announcement, mandated to refund such tender fees to the respective contractors immediately, pending the approval of a spending plan by the State, which shall be notified in due course.”
Meanwhile, the hundreds of women who came as a group from across the 23 local government areas of the state, convened by Sotonye Toby Fulton, made the call during their weekly prayer for peace and progress in the state, held in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
A participant at the prayer session who spoke with THISDAY, said there was no war in the state that required the declared state of emergency.
They also insisted that the state needed Fubara to continue his official work he was elected for.
An administrative manager with Port Harcourt Water Cooperation, Gloria Akor-Okocha, said, “We are praying for restoration, we are praying that Nigeria will come to truth, we are praying that God will install truth in the country and restore our governor back.”
President of Ijaw Women Connect, Dr Vivian Elenwo, said, “Rivers State with governor Siminalayi Fubara is peaceful. Our youths are not on the streets, they are peaceful, you can see the women are praying. God is the highest court, is above the supreme court, so, we have brought our complaint to God today.”
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, Femi Otedola, chairman of First HoldCo, and four other Nigerians, have been named among the World’s Black Billionaires for 2025 by Forbes Magazine.
In its annual World’s Billionaires list released recently, Forbes said out of 3,028 billionaires around the world, only 23 are Blacks.
“Twenty-three of them are Black—just 0.8% of the list—but they’re a wealthy and impressive bunch,” the report said.
“Overall, these 23 have amassed $96.2 billion in wealth, mainly from the finance, energy, and technology sectors.”
Forbes said out of the 23 billionaires, only six of them are Nigerians.
Based on the magazine’s ranking, Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, topped the list with a net worth of $23.9 billion.
Forbes said the billionaire’s fortune skyrocketed after the Dangote refinery finally began operating in early 2024, boosting businessman’s fortune by $10.5 billion since last year’s list.
With $6.8 billion net worth, Forbes said Mike Adenuga, owner of Globacom, a telecommunications firm, is the second Nigerian, ranking fifth on the list.
Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder of BUA Group, is ranked sixth on the publication’s world Black billionaire list. With $5.1 billion net worth, the billionaire is the third Nigerian on the list.
Another Nigerian on the list is Adebayo Ogunlesi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) with $2.2 billion net worth.
In October 2024, GIP was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5 billion in cash and shares. Ogunlesi is said to be the 11th Black billionaire in the world according Forbes.
Following closely in the 12th position is Otedola, chairman of Geregu, with a net worth of $1.5 billion.
Forbes said the billionaire “made his first fortune in commodities before selling his shares in Forte Oil to invest in the energy business”.
“Today, he is the chairman and majority owner of Geregu Power, a power generation business whose other investors include the Nigerian government and the State Grid Corporation of China,” Forbes said.
The last Nigerian on the World’s Black Billionaires 2025 list is Tope Awotona.
Forbes said Awotona in 2013, founded Calendly, a scheduling software startup, which private investors valued at $3 billion in 2021.
The media company said Awotona, ranking 14th on the list, has a net worth of $1.4 billion
More...
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has departed Abuja for Dakar, Senegal.
The Vice President is expected to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Senegal’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations.
Senegal celebrates its Independence Day on April 4 each year, commemorating its freedom from French colonial rule in 1960. The day is marked by national pride, with ceremonies, parades and cultural events.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media and Communications, Office of The Vice President in a statement said Shettima’s attendance at the annual event is in honour of an invitation extended to President Tinubu by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, following the strong mutual relationship between Nigeria and Senegal.
The independence Day celebrations will be held at the Place de la Nation in Dakar, with President Faye playing host to Vice President Shettima and other distinguished guests from across Africa and beyond.
The Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria after the one-day event.
[DailyTrust]
Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2024 Edo governorship election, has rejected the ruling of the election petition tribunal.
The tribunal on Wednesday upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo as governor of the state while dismissing Ighodalo’s petition.
In a statement, Ighodalo said while he respects the judiciary, he remains steadfast in his belief that the right of the Edo people to elect their leaders through a credible process must not be compromised.
“Our pursuit of justice in this regard is an affirmation of our firm belief that the right of the good people of Edo State to freely choose their leaders through a credible, free and fair electoral process must never be compromised,” the statement reads.
“As an avowed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, and I urge all of you, our dear good people of Edo State, to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding in the aftermath of this Judgement.
“However, let it be clear: this is not the end of our journey, but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate freely conferred on my running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie and I on the platform of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”
Ighodalo said his legal team has been instructed to challenge the judgment at the court of appeal.
“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision which we consider a huge travesty of justice,” he added.
“This is not about me or any single individual; it is about the very essence of democracy, the preservation of our collective right to freely determine our future, and the legacy we leave for generations unborn.
“We remain resolute. We remain committed. And we shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice.”
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sack Mele Kyari and other board members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stems from mounting concern over performance and a failure to meet key production targets, Presidency officials have disclosed.
In an abrupt move on Wednesday, Tinubu removed Kyari, who had been at the helm of the national oil company since 2019, as part of a broader overhaul, which the Presidency said was aimed at boosting Nigeria’s crude and gas output.
“President Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Pius Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement in the early hours of Wednesday.
Consequently, he appointed Bashir Ojulari as the new Group CEO, effective from April 2, 2025.
“The new 11-man board has Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Musa Ahmadu-Kida as non-executive chairman,” the statement read.
Multiple Presidency officials familiar with the developments said the shake-up was a performance-based reshuffle, arguing that those previously in charge “were going in circles” and some of them had “become part of the problem, rather than the solution.”
One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter officially, told our correspondent, “The President did this because of their performance because we needed to do things differently. The former people were taking us in circles, and then some of them became part of the problem.
“There needs to be a new direction. You need new people to bring new energy into the system.
“Look at them. Every one of them is capable. They are core industry professionals, real industry experts who know the industry inside and out. They are not politicians. This is the first time we have an entire cast of technocrats.”
Another official familiar with the development said the President believed that new blood was essential to jump-start production growth.
The official explained, “It is not about (Kyari’s) age. The NNPCL is a limited liability company and is not governed by civil service rules. So, it’s not about his age. There is always a need to get new brains that can deliver in new directions. The President has his mandate, which is clearly stated in the statement. He gave them his performance metrics, such as the amount of crude we produce. He asked them to review all blocks because we want to know which ones are producing and which are not.
“We have to optimise those that are not producing. He wants them to review all our assets within a certain period and give us good production. By 2030, they must be producing 3,000,000 barrels per day, and between now and 2027, we must stabilise at 2,000,000 per day. Then, gas, we must produce 10 billion cubic meters between now and 2030. These are performance metrics, and that is how it should be done.
“But the former system was not giving us that. They have been around the same spot for years. Our OPEC quota has not improved much since 1973. We have not been able to meet them. That is why reforms are important.”
Also appointed to the new 11-man board is Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November.
Six board members and non-executive directors represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are: Bello Rabiu (North West); Yusuf Usman (North East); a former managing director of the NLNG, Babs Omotowa (North Central); Austin Avuru (South-South); David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East).
Onanuga said Mrs Lydia Jafiya, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed represents the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
“All the appointments are effective today, April 2,” he announced.
Tinubu handed out an immediate action plan to the new board, asking them to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPCL-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.
While the NNPCL reported $17bn in new investments within the sector last year, Onanuga said the administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30bn by 2027 and $60bn by 2030.
“Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.
The new board chairman, Musa Ahmadu-Kida, is from Borno State. He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.
Musa became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Ojulari, the new NNPC Limited Group CEO, hails from Kwara State. Until his new appointment, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, worth $2.4bn.
Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Limited, particularly their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which enabled them to resume petroleum product production after prolonged shutdowns.
Nigeria, once Africa’s leading oil producer, has struggled for years to fulfil its production quota stipulated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. While OPEC figures have often placed the country’s desired output above two million barrels per day, the NNPCL has repeatedly fallen short – citing pipeline vandalism, underinvestment, and ageing infrastructure.
Pundits say that under Kyari, some reforms were introduced, but overall production remained below target.
Refineries revamp
Operators and experts in the oil and gas sector have set an agenda for the new Group Chief Executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Ojulari who replaces the the company’s former GCEO, Kyari.
While congratulating Ojulari and the other board members newly appointed by Tinubu, stakeholders enjoined them to ensure all the refineries under the watch of the NNPCL are revamped.
The new NNPC leaders were charged to rebrand the NNPC, renew the naira-for-crude deal, divest some of the company’s assets, restore investors’ confidence, and be apolitical.
In an interview, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, described the sweeping reconstitution as a welcome development.
He said IPMAN received the news with warmest regards, saying Tinubu is reforming the oil and gas sector.
Ukadike told the new NNPCL team to ensure that the refineries resume operations at full capacity to give enough and affordable fuel to Nigerians.
He urged Ojulari and his team to ensure the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries are maximised to create more jobs for the masses.
“We received the news with the warmest regards. Mr President is renewing and reforming the oil and gas industry. And whatever that will drive both the implementation of policies and the Petroleum Industry Act is in order.
“What is imminent is change. So, we the independent marketers association welcome this.
“We congratulate the new man and charge him to ensure that all these government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna are producing enough fuel for the economy. This will also create jobs for the people amd and make petroleum products available,” he said.
Ukadike appealed to Ojulari and the board to settle the rift between the NNPCL and the Dangote refinery as far as the naira-for-crude deal is concerned.
He urged them to renew the deal and put an end to the crisis so as to enable smooth fuel distribution across the nation.
“We also want the new GCEO to use this good office to revisit the naira-for-crude deal; look into the saga and put an end to it so that it will better the distribution process and strengthen our economy,” Ukadike stated.
Similarly, the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists lauded Tinubu for the new NNPCL board appointments noting that it was a bold step towards repositioning the oil and gas industry for greater efficiency, transparency, and profitability.
In a statement signed by NAPE President, Johnbosco Uche, the association said the new board has a mandate to enhance operational efficiency, restore investor confidence, and increase commercial viability, saying this aligns with NAPE’s goals and aspirations for the industry.
The explorationists expressed confidence that the new team would bring the necessary expertise and experience to drive the oil and gas sector forward.
According to Uche, NAPE is delighted to observe that the newly appointed board comprises seasoned professionals, including Austin Avuru, a former President of NAPE who has held esteemed top management positions within the oil and gas industry.
“We look forward to collaborating with them to achieve the desired growth and development in the oil and gas sector,” the statement added.
The Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria requested that the newly appointed board take bold steps towards ensuring Nigeria achieved self-sufficiency in domestic refining and energy security.
CORAN’s Publicity Secretary, Eche Idoko, said, “CORAN congratulates the new board of the NNPCL and the new GCEO on their appointment. They are coming in at a time when the market globally is repositioning, and the Nigerian market, particularly in the midstream and downstream sectors, is receiving increasing attention.”
“We hope that the new NNPCL board will be bullish in the quest to make Nigeria self-sufficient in domestic refining and energy security. We want to see a more visible NNPCL that coordinates and works closely with local investors, especially in the emerging midstream segment. We look forward to them building on the legacy of the last administration and ensuring that Nigeria becomes a refining hub.”
Similarly, the National President of the Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, asked the board to ensure a daily production of 700,000 barrels per day in refining strictly for domestic use to achieve energy independence.
“Our message is simple: wherever Mele Kyari’s administration stopped, the new board should take it to the next level. They must ensure that the oil and gas sector grows, driving the economic value that it should in Nigeria,” Gillis-Harry said.
“We want to see discussions around how we can increase local refining capacity. This could start with a boost of 700,000 barrels per day dedicated strictly to domestic refining. This would require new work on how communities can cooperate with the NNPCL and the government for a win-win situation.”
Hope rising
Meanwhile, an expert in the oil and gas industry, Professor Emeritus Wumi Iledare, has expressed high hopes that the new NNPC leadership will not fail as their failure is a bad signal for the country.
In an interview with our correspondent, Iledare said this was the first time the NNPC had a board that was apolitical, expressing optimism in the capacity of the people he called “core professionals.”
“Finally, NNPCL has a board that is majorly apolitical by nature with the appointments of timber and caliber professionals. It is the dawn of a new era for NNPCL to rekindle, restructure, and rebound itself along the intent of PIA 2021,” he said
Iledare listed what he expects the new board to focus on immediately: “First is (settling) the dilemma naira-for-crude deal with local refineries; second is selling NNPCL shares to the public with a limit to what individual can buy and restrict corporate buyers; third, divest some joint venture shares in divested international oil companies’ shares; fourth, rekindle, restructure, and rebound NNPC Limited along the intent of the PIA.”
He urged Ojulari to “promote the economy of scale mentality and correct the apparent diseconomies of scale bounding the potential of NNPCL.
He added, “Bayo Oujulari, Austin Avuru, Yusuf Usman, Rabiu Bello, David Ige, Babs Omotowa are professionals I know personally. I pray that Nigeria does not get them. It is like having six GCEOs.”
Speaking on the sack of Kyari, the don posited that “he was thrown into the fire the way he was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari without following the process of the PIA.”
He spoke further that it is difficult for a leopard to change its skin without a surgical operation.
“Going from GMD to GCEO was difficult for him and working with an incompetent board imposed on him was difficult. So, I admired his attitude to risk. He was a risk seeker but politically constrained and very too transactionally minded. He should have resigned the way his CFO retired. Best wishes to him.
“His exit, notwithstanding, the change is the dawn of a new era for NNPCL. For the first time ever, the NNPCL has an apolitical Board with a good understanding of what it takes to have a commercial mentality,” Iledare maintained.
Farewell for Kyari
Following the new appointments, the management and staff of NNPC on Wednesday welcomed Ojulari and the Board of Directors.
A statement by the company’s spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said, “We extend our profound appreciation to the outgoing CCEO, Mr Mele Kyari, and the former Board Members for their selfless and dedicated service to the Company and to the nation.
“Mr Kyari’s leadership and tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on NNPC Ltd., and we are sincerely grateful for his outstanding contributions.
“We wish him and all departing Board Members continued success and fulfilment in their future endeavours.”
The PUNCH reports that Kyari’s removal came at a time when the NNPC refused to sell crude to the Dangote refinery in naira as ordered by the President last year.
The seeming collapse of the deal led to the suspension of fuel naira sales to local marketers in naira.
This has since led to a hike in petrol prices from N860 per litre to N930 or more, depending on the location.
Tompolo lauds Tinubu
Chairman, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, has lauded President Tinubu for his “careful selection of seasoned professionals” as the new Management Board of the NNPCL.
He also congratulated the newly appointed 11-member board and management of the NNPCL.
In a personally signed statement made available to journalists in Warri on Wednesday, Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation, noted that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited recognised the new appointments “as a pivotal moment in the journey of the NNPCL and the Nigerian oil and gas industry.”
The statement read, “Indeed, this decision by Mr. President underscores his administration’s dedication to ensuring that only competent hands are entrusted with optimising the vast benefits of our nation’s oil and gas sector.
“The challenges and opportunities before this new management and board are immense, but we are confident in their ability to drive the ongoing restructuring of the NNPCL to greater heights.
“Under their stewardship, we believe that the President’s mandate to ramp up local refining capacity and increase Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2mbpd in record time will be realised and surpassed.
“As our company has always done, TSSNL remains steadfast in its commitment to partnering with the NNPCL to secure and enhance Nigeria’s oil production capabilities. Our expertise in oil asset protection and our deep-rooted presence in the Niger Delta position us as a reliable ally in ensuring that the nation’s resources are safeguarded and utilised efficiently for the collective benefit of all stakeholders.”
Federal Ministry of Works, Lagos: Press Release On Immediate Reopening Of I Dependence Bridge (Ahmadu Bello Way-Marina Bound)
Admin
The Honorable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has directed the immediate reopening of the Independence Bridge in Lagos to vehicular traffic.
This directive follows the earlier closure of the bridge for planned maintenance and rehabilitation works.
Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure palliative works are carried out on the already opened bridge to make it motorable .
The Ministry hereby express regret for the inconvenience caused to the motoring public by the closure and appealed for their understanding and cooperation.
The Federal Ministry of Works clarified that the necessary repair works on the bridge would be carried out at a later time.
E-signed
Engr. (Mrs.) O. I. Kesha
Federal Controller of Works, Lagos