Senator Ifeanyi Ararume has been dropped by Pressing Muhammadu Buhari as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. The President replaced Ararume with Senator Margret Okadigbo, wife of a former President of the Senate and running mate to President Buhari in 2007 under the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, late Senator Chuba Okadigbo.
Recall that Senator Ararume, who has been having a running battle with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, was appointed as the NNPC Board Charman on September 19, 2021.
The President suspended the inauguration of the board and management scheduled for November 23, 2021.
The replacement of Ararume as the NNPC Board Chairman and his replacement with Senator Okadigbo was announced via a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement read: “President Muhammad 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. According to the statement, “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; 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).”
