Shehu Sani, a former senator and outspoken critic of political practices in Nigeria, took to his X page to react to the recent reconstitution of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited board by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The reshuffle, announced on April 2, 2025, saw the removal of the board’s chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, and the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, along with all other members appointed in November 2023.
In place of the former leadership, President Tinubu approved the appointment of a new 11-member board with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the non-executive chairman.
Shehu Sani’s response to the news centered around a recurring issue in Nigerian political and appointment practices. He criticized the tendency to prioritize tribe and religion over competence and experience when making key decisions.
On his X page, Sani wrote: “When a person is appointed to office, the first thing most people in our country want to verify is his tribe, then his religion; competence and experience are secondary. The system conditioned most people to be more comfortable with their kind at the helm.”
Sani’s statement highlights the entrenched practices of tribalism and religious favoritism that often overshadow merit in Nigerian politics. His comments come at a time when the country is grappling with how to balance representation while ensuring effective leadership in key sectors such as the NNPC.
The shakeup at NNPC follows a growing demand for transparency and accountability within the country’s major state-owned companies, especially in the oil sector. While the new appointments bring a fresh slate for the NNPC board, Sani’s remarks call for a deeper reflection on how appointments are made in the country to ensure that they are based on merit rather than divisive factors.
As the new leadership takes over, the focus will likely shift to how they address Nigeria’s energy sector challenges, particularly in the wake of recent controversies surrounding the oil industry.
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