Buhari remembers dead allies, appoints Okadigbo, Harry Marshal’s relations into NNPC Board

President Muhammadu Buhari has at last remembered his political allies who died during the period he was struggling to be President of Nigeria. President Buhari, therefore, appointed their relations into the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited Margaret Chuba Okadigbo, wife of late Seante President Chuba Okadigbo, and Barrister Constance Harry Marshal, an affine of late Harry Marshal, were listed as members of the NNPC Board appointed by President Buhari.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was vice presidential candidate to President Buhari in 2007 elections. He died few years later.

Harry Marshal was President Buhari’s political ally from the South-South. He was killed at his residence in Abuja 24 hours to the takeoff of President Buhari’s first presidential campaign in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 2003. Marshal was a political heavy weight in Rivers State before his assassination in Abuja. He had flown into Abuja on Friday to collect more funds to rush back to Port Harcourt and settle the outstanding bill for the campaign venue which was to hold on Saturday but was killed in mysterious circumstances. The killing of Harry Marshal remains of the celebrated unresolved political killings in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, President Buhari, approving the appointment of the Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, appointed  Senator Ifeanyi Ararume Chairman of the board.

The President further directed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited be incorporated.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement on Sunday, indicated that President Buhari appointed the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, as the Chief Executive Officer, Adesina explained that  the President acted in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

The statement highlighted:

“This is in consonance with Section 53(1) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, which requires the Minister of Petroleum Resources to cause for the incorporation of the NNPC Limited within six months of commencement of the Act in consultation with the Minister of Finance on the nominal shares of the Company.”

The S.A. Media further indicated that the President has directed the NNPC GMD to take necessary steps to ensure that the incorporation of the oil company is consistent with the provisions of the PIA 2021.

While Senator Ifeanyi Ararume was appointed Chairman of the Board, Umar I. Ajiya was appointed the Chief Financial Officer.

Other members of the board include Dr. Tajudeen Umar, Northeast; Mrs. Lami O. Ahmed, North Central; Mallam Mohammed Lawal, Northwest; Senator Margaret Chuba Okadigbo, Southeast; Barrister Constance Harry Marshal, South-South; and Chief Pius Akinyelure, Southwest.