By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Senate has screened Mr Saidu Mohammad and Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, who are President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for the chief executive positions of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Both nominees were asked to “take a bow” following their screening by the Committee of the Whole on Thursday, December 18.
Before the screening, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced at plenary that he had received two letters from President Tinubu seeking the confirmation of new chief executives for the NMDPRA and the NUPRC “in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.”
The letter stated that the president nominated Mr Saidu Mohammad as the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA pursuant to Section 41(6) of the Act.
Tinubu explained that the nomination followed the resignation of the immediate past head of the authority and stressed the need for speedy confirmation to prevent a leadership vacuum in an agency overseeing critical midstream and downstream operations, including the authorisation of vessel movements.
“I hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously,” the president said.
Akpabio subsequently referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration, citing time constraints and the strategic nature of the position.
In a second letter, Tinubu sought the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive of the NUPRC, “in line with Section 11(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.”
Tinubu said the nomination was also necessitated by the resignation of the commission’s immediate past chief executive and urged the Senate to act swiftly to ensure stability and continuity in the regulation of the upstream petroleum sector.
Akpabio similarly referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for prompt consideration and possible confirmation.
At the screening, which took place at Senate Room 117, both nominees and their delegations were already seated before the commencement of proceedings.
Instead of a rigorous session, the screening exercise was largely routine, as the nominees were asked to “take a bow” after their résumés were verified, and a few questions were asked.
The nomination of Mohammad and Eyesan as new chief executives of both agencies follows the resignations of the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, and his counterpart at the NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe.
The Presidency had on Wednesday, December 17, announced both of their resignations amid growing controversy sparked by allegations and a petition by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, over regulatory actions affecting the downstream sector.
The dispute revolved around disagreements between the Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA over fuel importation, pricing, and regulatory oversight.
