Drama As Two Dead Men Make President Buhari’s Latest Board Appointments

Senator Francis Okpozo, who died at 81, in 2016, has been named Chairman, Nigerian Press Council (NPC).

Also on the list is late retired Deputy Inspector General of Police and elder statesman, Donald Ugbaja.

The late Ugbaja was appointed member of Consumer Protection Council. His name is the third on the list of the council whose chairman is Emeka Nwakpa.

The two men are among the 209 chairmen and 1,258 members appointed to fill the governing boards of agencies and parastatals positions.

The Presidency had issued a statement on December 28, 2016 expressing condolences to his family and the government of Delta State on his death.

Until his death, Late Okpozo was a Second Republic senator and member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President also commiserated with “the family and friends of the late senator, whose championing of social justice in the Niger Delta, during his long history of service to the people, endeared him to many.”

The statement added that “As a stalwart of the APC in the South-South, President Buhari believes that the party greatly benefited from the octogenarian’s charismatic leadership and wealth of experience as a politician.”

The President also “hopes that all who mourn Senator Okpozo will carry forward his legacy of unwavering dedication to the unity of Nigeria, even as the nation would fondly remember his contributions to peace, development and justice in the Niger Delta.”

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on November 28th, 2017 also in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, described the late Ugbaja as a complete gentleman, a thorough bred officer, who contributed his own quota to serving his country and humanity.

The appointments which was released late Saturday night to mainly online media by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, read: “Mr. President considered the approval for the constitution of the Boards as well as the appointments, very necessary, so as to provide a proper Governance and oversight structure for Government Agencies and Parastatals. The constitution of the boards with the appointments, is a demonstration of this Government’s efforts aimed at building strong institutions of Governance, and by extension, improving the quality of Policy formulation and supervision.

“While these appointments represent a substantial number of hitherto pending board appointments, some more appointments are still being processed and will be released in due course.

“The appointments take immediate effect and Honourable Ministers are advised to inaugurate the boards after letters of appointment have been issued.”

These appointments are the single largest President Buhari has made since he took office in 2015.

Prominent among the appointees is a former Ekiti State Governor, Niyi Adebayo, who will be serving on the board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria alongside Akingbesote Akinyeye, Suleiman Mohammed and Bello Babura.

Chief Bode Mustapha and Mr. Fetus Keyamo will also be serving on the board of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation alongside Alhaji Garba Buba, Bello Garba, Gen. J.O.J. Okoloagu, Mudashiru Mustapha and Adewole Adeleke.

On the board of Sheda Science and Technology Complex are Senator Ayo Arise, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, Kevin Njideaka, Rotimi Erogbogbo, Bala Abdullahi, Shuaibu Bukkuyum, Mohammed Us, Kolawole Yusuf, Inuwa Mangoron and Gale Idriss.

The General Overseer of Foundation of Truth Ministry, Lagos State, Rev. Yomi Kasali, was appointed on the board of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission alongside Emmanuel Ebomuche, Ezekiel Agazu, Israel Akanji, Anthony Fasipe, Jidda Musa, Yusuf Biniyat and forgiven Amachree.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and others are on the board of the National Boundary Commission while Gen. John ShaG.aya and others made the list of National Institute for Policy and Strategy Studies.

Osinbajo is also chairing the Border Communities Development Agency, the National Planning Commission and the National Space Research and Development Agency.

The President himself is chairing the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

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