Much Ado about Ararume’s NNPC Appointment

We have become aware of the appointment, by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, of an Imo son Senator Ifeanyi Godson Araraume into the board of the soon to be incorporated Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

As contained in the press material, Mr Araraume is to serve as Chairman of the Board of this new company while Mr Mele Kolo Kyari (incumbent Group Managing Director of the old NNPC) is to run the company as Chief Executive Officer.

We also note that Sen. Margaret Chuba-Okadigbo (former Senator for Anambra North) widow of former Senate President Chuba Okadigbo is the board member representing the South-East.

This organization joins other well meaning Imo people in commending the Hon. Minister for the appointments as they will go a long way in assuaging feelings of marginalization in the South East.

To our amusement, however, some persons are weeping as if the appointment equates to some kind of battlefield achievement for Mr Araraume. Rather than ask God to endow the new appointees with the presence of mind to justify this responsibility, some misguided elements want to convince Imo people that Araraume’s new found employment is a setback for Governor Hope Uzodinma; that his new gig is a signal that the President is “unhappy with what he saw” when he visited Imo at the instance of Governor Uzodinma; that this appointment is infact dividend of a recent private visit of Sen. Okorocha to President Buhari.

We all know that Mr Okorocha will sooner present his children, in-laws, and pets before recommending a rival for such office.

This leaves us with only one sensate conclusion: Araraume’s appointment vindicates Governor Hope Uzodinma. It is an outcome, the first major fruit of Uzodinma’s intentional engagement with the centre. It shows that Mr President took to heart the counsel of the Igbo leaders who dined with him during his September 9 visit to Imo State at the instance of Governor Hope Uzodinma.

The appointment further shows that Buhari’s APC family doesn’t want to discriminate against stepchildren. This philosophy is also examplified by Governor Uzodinma who continues to appoint into public office persons who actively opposed him in the last election.

“Winner-takes-all” is a tried and faulted strategy in Nigerian politics. The president and leader of the APC has displayed sagacity by moving to accommodate all and sundry.

Politics aside, we think that these appointments further call Ndigbo to sober reflection. To sit on the board of the NNPC Limited is a different kind of political assignment. When it is incorporated, the NNPC will seize to be seen as free money. Those with a predilection for lodging cash in ghana-must-go bags may find themselves lost at sea.

These hypemen and cheerleaders who are pushing Mr Araraume to step on the governor’s tail obviously want to lead him by the nose into self-combustion. Should he take the bait, he would have failed even before he began.

We remind our sons and daughters who have found favour in the eyes of the Federal Government that Imo counts on them to contribute to her development while discharging their duties with honour. Anything else doesn’t interest us.

* Ughalaa, KSC is of the