Minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu has written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged insubordination of Maika
Minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu has written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged insubordination of Maikanti Baru, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. In the letter, Ibe Kachikwu accused Baru of completely eroding some of the reforms he introduced as head of the oil firm as well as sidelining the NNPC board. He also said he was being sidelined based on allegations that he is corrupt, anti-north and conspiring with militants.
Buhari had appointed Kachikwu as NNPC GMD in August 2015 but replaced him with Baru in July 2016.
Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC spokesman has denied seeing the letter, claiming he could not comment on what he hasn’t seen. He however added that the purported letter is a matter between party A and party B which he cannot comment on.
In a swift reaction, Ibe Kachikwu, has said that he is distressed that the letter he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari was leaked.
In a statement issued on behalf of the minister by Idang Alibi, director of press in the ministry of petroleum, he said
“The attention of the ministry of petroleum resources has been drawn to a publication on a memo emanating from the honourable minister of state for petroleum resources to the president. The communication under reference is a normal procedural correspondence by the minister to the president relating to developments in parastatals under his supervision.
“It is most distressing to the ministry of petroleum resources that a confidential communication to the President on the performance of one of its parastatals can be made public. The focus of the communication was on improving efficiency and deepening transparency in the oil and gas sector for continued investor confidence.
“It is noteworthy that the President has been fully supportive of the efforts of the Ministry to entrench good governance and accountability in the oil and gas sector. The ministry of petroleum resources remains focused on achieving measurable progress in the implementation of the ongoing oil sector reforms in line with the mandate of the president.”
The Cable
