President Muhammadu
Buhari will appoint a new group managing director for the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) if Ibe Kachikwu’s ministerial nomination is
approved by the senate.
Kachikwu, who was
appointed GMD only in August, was nominated as minister by the President, in
what insiders described as a “soft landing” arrangement for the former
executive vice chairman and general counsel of Exxon Mobil (Africa).
Buhari, presidential
sources said, has been very “uncomfortable” with some of the actions,
pronouncements and in-house changes made by Kachikwu since he became the
helmsman at NNPC.
Kachikwu allegedly gave
priority to the settlement of debts owed to his former employers, ExxonMobil,
by NNPC, and was also said to have fallen out of line with his proposal to sell
the refineries despite the stand of the president that they should be put in
good condition first before any further discussions.
Management changes made
by Kachikwu at the NNPC and its strategic business units are also said to be
“lopsided”, with eight positions going to a particular part of the country,
although the president approved before they were made public.
“You can say Buhari was
misled into appointing Kachikwu as NNPC GMD,” a presidency official said,
adding that a ministerial position was a better option for him “in view of the
unfolding circumstances”.
Buhari is hoping to make Kachikwu minister of state
for petroleum resources while heading the ministry by himself. One of the
current group executive directors (GEDs) is expected to take over from
Kachikwu, with Maikanti Baru from Bauchi State as the favourite.
Baru, who holds a PhD
like Kachikwu, is currently the GED for exploration and production and was
initially tipped to succeed Joseph Dawha, who was removed as GMD in August.
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