Araraume’s NNPC Appointment and the Disruptive Narrative

Iyobosa Uwugiaren looks at the misgivings surrounding the appointment of Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume as Chairman, the Board of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited

Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume remains a big issue in Nigeria politics, especially in Imo State. His name wherever is mentioned in the state activates fear and panic among his political enemies – due to what some political monitors in Imo State link to his ‘’independent mind and strong character.’’

In the last few days, ever since President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Araraume as the Chairman, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Board, those familiar with the divisive and disruptive politics in Imo State said that Araraume’s political enemies have relocated to Abuja – with a well- political script to create doubt in the mind of the President and members of the public about his inability to carry out the new assignment given to him.

Although Governor Hope Uzodima of Imo State and Araraume belong to the same political party (APC) they are in different factions in the state – since the last governorship election. And an insider said that Araraume’s recent NNPC appointment has created panic within the governor’s camp.

Indeed, both social media and the online media have been assaulted with misinformation and disruptive narratives concerning Senator Araraume and his new job at the NNPC. And from the contents of the social media reports, it appears the aim is to disrepute Araraume and construct misgivings in members of the public, especially among the players in the Oil industry, about the fittingness of Senator Araraume to discharge his new responsibility.

In fact, the Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, recently described Ararume’s appointment as a display of ‘’penchant for outlandish and unconventional methods of appointing cronies and men of questionable characters by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The All Progressives Congress, we believe has more qualified technocrats and well experienced players in the oil and Gas industry as members that could have been appointed as the chairman of Board of the country’s mainstay source of revenue,” Adeyanju claimed.

But a player in the oil industry, Yakubu Abdullahi, said in a statement that ‘’they simply want to portray him as unqualified to drive Nigeria’s Oil Sector. These hatched men have gone to town with the falsehood that Araraume lacks the experience and intellectual capacity to head the NNPC Board’’ and run the policies to transform the new NNPC into a commercial concern capable of making profit.’’

Abdullahi said that ‘’these misguided elements’’ had only succeeded in exhibiting their resentment and lack of information about Araraume’s wide experience in business, academics and other accomplishments as an employer of labour and a key actor in the Nigerian economy.

To be sure, those familiar with his robust experience in politics and business sectors, have argued stubbornly in the last few days that Senator Araraume’s capacity to deliver on his job – as chairman the NNPC Board, can never be in doubt. They were quick to point to his several oversight functions – while serving as chairman in several committees in the Senate for eight years.

For instance, as the Chairman of the Senate Sub-Committee on the Downstream Sector, Araraume was said to have worked closely with former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led executive arm of government in bringing sanity to the sector. Those who worked with him in the Senate have in their congratulatory messages to him in the past few days attested to Araraume’s drive for distinction and proficiency in handling some of the serious issues and decisions taken in the past to make the oil sector lucrative for all Nigerians and investors.

In addition to being the Chairman of the Senate Sub-Committee on the Downstream Sector, Senator Araraume also served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power and Steel and member, Senate Committees on Works, Finance, Appropriation, Petroleum Resources and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 1999 and 2007. There was also a time he also headed the Southern Senators Forum.

Also in his thirties, Senator Araraume was described as ‘’the youngest Director’’ on the Board of Inland Bank, which has merged with other banks to form what is now known as First City Monument Bank (FCMB). He was said to have worked tirelessly with his colleagues then in ensuring that the bank was run on a profitable basis for its shareholders.

The 62 year-old technocrat has also served as a Federal Commissioner in the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) between 2016 and 2018, and on the Board of the Universal Service Provision Fund.

Against the wrong narratives by some writers in the media – in the last few days, that Araraume lacks the academic background to function as NNPC Board Chairman, his sound educational background is not in doubt. His curriculum vitae show that Ararume was born on December 16, 1958 at Isiebu, Umuduru in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria to late Marcus Ararume and Adaezi Grace Ararume (Nee Anyiam).

He started his formal education at Saint Christopher Primary School, Umuluwe, Ajirija in Isiala Mbano. He completed his secondary education at Dick Tiger Memorial Secondary School, Amaigbo after previously enrolling at Sapele Technical College, now in Delta State. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and a Masters Science Degree (M.SC) in International Relations from the University of Benin, and currently writing his Doctoral Dissertation in International Relations and Diplomacy in the University of Abuja.

In the private sector, Araraume sits as Chairman of several lucrative companies, some of which he personally established – with over five hundred direct employees and more than one thousand indirect workers.

‘’A man who has succeeded in the private sector as a great investor cannot be described as incapable of running a business on a profitable basis. His chain of Departmental Stores – spread across some states, including the Federal Capital Territory, remain some of the largest stores in the country.

‘’On his character, he cannot be questioned. He remains a good Christian of the Catholic fold. This explains why he is a Knight of Saint John International – a rare honour often conferred on exceptionally-committed Catholics with no moral issues. He is also a man with a stable family life’’, one of his close friends stated.

The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu commended President Buhari for putting together a broad-based board for the newly created Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited. Precisely, he praised the President for obliging Nd’Igbo the slot of chairman, as well as the appointment of wife of former Senate President, Chuba Okadigbo, and his first vice presidential candidate, Senator Margery Okadigbo, into the eight-member board.

“For us the Buharists, who know that the President doesn’t nurse any animosity against Ndigbo; it is a vindication that he has not forgotten Ndigbo as being bandied by his traducers.

‘’Most importantly, one thanks Mr President immensely for these appointments in the hope that he will further work towards closing the chapter of Igbo marginalization by supporting the election of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023,” Okechukwu said.

Barrister Uche Anyanyu said that as Araraume undertakes duty in NNPC Limited, time and his succeeding endeavours in the oil sector will put those working hard to pull him down to shame.

He argued that a man who has performed in several capacities cannot be described as inexperienced, adding that If the writers had good purposes, they would have led a research into Senator Araraume’s background before accepting the dirty job to pull him down.

QUOTE

As the Chairman of the Senate Sub-Committee on the Downstream Sector, Araraume was said to have worked closely with former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led executive arm of government in bringing sanity to the sector. Those who worked with him in the Senate have in their congratulatory messages to him in the past few days attested to Araraume’s drive for distinction and proficiency in handling some of the serious issues and decisions taken in the past to make the oil sector lucrative for all Nigerians and investors