‘It’s A Wrong Signal’ – IPAC Knocks President Tinubu For Picking Petroleum Minister Of State From Niger Delta

President Bola Tinubu has come under fire for assigning the portfolio of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to the Niger Delta.

Naija News recalls that President Tinubu on Wednesday released portfolios for 45 ministerial designates.

Even though he didn’t assign anyone to the portfolio of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, he appointed Bayelsa-born Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

The president has, however, come under fire for assigning Lokpobiri, who is a Niger Deltan, to that portfolio.

The National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, has described the move as a ‘wrong signal.’

While featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme on Thursday, Sani said appointing Lokpobiri will trigger a sense of entitlement amongst the people of the Niger Delta.

He cited that it was a similar occurrence with Tinubu’s predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his time appointed Timipre Sylva, a Niger Deltan, as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and assigned to himself the portfolio of the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Sani opined that it was vital for national interest to be considered in the affairs of the petroleum ministry instead of sentiments, noting that the petroleum sector should be looked into from a professional point of view.

Speaking further, the IPAC boss noted that “Unfortunately, this sector (Niger Delta) has been made to look as if people that should be appointed to that ministry should come from Niger Delta. It is a wrong signal because, when you now give people a sense of entitlement, their efficiency becomes something that is not given due attention to.

“I think we must change that scenario, but if he must do that – not because I am from the North Central – why don’t you give Federal Capital Territory to an indigene of North Central? – if you must be sensational about such very important ministry.

“What do we do about fighting crude oil theft?” he asked. “Crude oil theft endemically is perpetrated – from what we heard so far is from the people from that area.”

Sani also asserted that if the ministry is reserved to the president, issues could be lingering on accountability and efficiency in fighting crude oil theft.

“I believe that that ministry is too important for the president to take as another responsibility for himself if that is the intention. The reason is that we have seen the kind of drawbacks we have had in the economy itself as a result of the lack of proper management of that industry (oil and gas sector).

“The president, that is already more than occupied now is taking the ministry that he is going to supervise it himself. I am sure we may not see the result of what we want. What we want in that industry is for corruption must be chased out as quickly as we can,” he added.