A new development revealed that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has yet to implement President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that Nicholas Agbo-Ella be allowed to represent Nigeria as OPEC Governor.
Petroleum minister allegedly disobeys Tinubu
This according to many, reportedly appears to be a disobedience of President Bola Tinubu’s order.
In a directive issued on May 6, Tinubu reportedly asked Lokpobiri, whom he appointed in August 2023, to submit the name of Agbo-Ella, the current permanent secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as the representative of Nigeria in OPEC.
Despite President Tinubu’s “presidential order” issued on May 6, directing the appointment of Nicholas Agbo-Ella as OPEC governor for Nigeria, Lokpobiri has failed to act, leading to tensions within the ministry.
Details of Tinubu’s order (memo)
President Tinubu emphasised in his memo to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and copied to Lokpobiri that Lokpobiri should “take immediate steps to notify OPEC of the change of Permanent Secretary and replace Ambassador Gabriel T. Aduda’s name with Ambassador Nicholas Agbo-Ella as the Governor nominated by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, being the current Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum.”
Directive flouted
According to report, Nicholas Agbo-Ella, who took over as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources following Gabriel Aduda’s reassignment to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in February, was to replace Aduda as Nigeria’s OPEC Governor.
However, insiders at the Petroleum Ministry revealed to Premium Times that Aduda, supported by Lokpobiri, continues to participate in OPEC events.
A publication released by PremiumTimes on Friday, July 12, disclosed that this defiance comes despite clear instructions from President Tinubu in a memo to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, emphasizing the urgency of the replacement to align with Nigeria’s interests at the OPEC conference scheduled for June 1, 2024.
At the moment, sources are unable to confirm the reason for Lokpobiri’s action as it is also also unclear why Aduda, whose function is now with the Ministry of Women Affairs, continued to serve as OPEC governor.
The ongoing disregard for the presidential directive has stirred fresh concerns in the polity.
