By Wole Dotun
These are not the best of times in Nigeria. Citizens are contending with the effects of several reforms initiated by the President Bola Tinubu government to place the country on the fast lane of development and raise her profile in the comity of nations.
In exercise of his constitutional duties, Mr. President, over a year ago, appointed men and women to form the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and after over one year in office, Nigerians have been reflecting on the performances of the ministers. It is obvious some have done well, while others are seen more as liabilities rather than assets to the Tinubu administration.
It is against this background that there have been increasing agitations across the country that Tinubu should rejig his cabinet to dispense with those who do not have what it takes to offer the much-needed quality advice and service delivery in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration.
This informed Mr. President’s decision to effect minor cabinet reshuffle, a decision which fell below the expectations of Nigerians. Many saw the recent reshuffle as a normal ritual against the expectations that a major change would be effected with far reaching result to refocus the administration many regarded as struggling due to lack of creativity on the part of several ministers.
This is where it has become imperative to take stock, beginning with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, who many thought would be weeded out based on his national scorecard. For instance, crude oil is the major foreign exchange earner for the country and the unavailability of refined products for local consumption is seen as the major source of the current economic hardship in the country.
The question on the lips of many Nigerians is whether Minister Lokpobiri who is more or less the defacto Minister of Petroleum Resources in charge of oil is an asset or a liability to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
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Recently, the minister had a raw deal during an interview session on Arise TV, as the host of the programme, Dr. Reuben Abati, sarcastically queried the claim by the minister that Nigeria is expecting about $50 billion investment in the oil sector before December this year. Nigerians are still waiting for the minister to fulfil his promise of rehabilitating and putting back on stream, some of Nigeria’s comatose oil refineries which he has failed after several times of unfulfilled promises.
Another area where Nigerians want to score the minister and assess him is the issue of oil theft. Rather than abating, it keeps increasing. It has gone worse that Nigeria now has barely about 1.3 million barrels per day to export out of the expected two million barrels. The loss is huge with a lot of bleeding impact on the nation’s economy. National revenue loss due to oil theft has left a big hole in the purse of the country.
Groups from within and outside the Niger Delta region have repeatedly called for the removal of Lokpobiri; that something needs to be done to stem the slide. Others even threatened to withdraw support for Tinubu if Lokpobiri continues to revel in the dereliction of his duties. One of such groups is the Ex-Agitators for Renewed Hope.
In a statement issued by the chairman, Chief Oghenavo Akeruese, in Asaba recently, the group accused the minister of being busy with preparations for the 2027 governorship election in Bayelsa State rather than facing his job squarely.
Also, the unending face-off between the minister and the management team of the Nigeria Content Monitoring and Development Board, NCDMB, is a sad tale in the mouth. The Content Board which had enjoyed absolute peace since it was established has unfortunately become a theatre of the absurd since Lokpobiri took over as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).
The agency which was established by an Act of Parliament is essentially to promote the use of indigenous skills and competence without relying on expatriate skills in the oil and gas sector. For instance the current Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Ogbe had a running battle with Lokpobiri when the minister reversed normal administrative deployment of some staff, a function vested in the Executive Secretary.
Few weeks after that ugly episode, the former Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Wabote, also raised some issues against the minister, regarding attempts the agency’s budget.
The incessant trouble with the Board led to President Tinubu intervention by appointing the Minister of State for Petroleum in charge of Gas, Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo as co-chairman of the Content Board to whittle down his overbearing influence in the day to day functions of the Content Board.
This development was applauded widely by staffers as well as critical players in the oil and gas industry. Interestingly, the appointment of Ekpo was not an alternate chairman but a co-chairman for the purpose of checks and balances.
Lokpobiri’s relationships with political leaders in Bayelsa State has not been good too. People recall how he fell out with the late former Governor, Diepreye Alamieyesigha, despite the latter’s singlehandedly making Heineken Lokpobiri a member and Speaker of the Bayelsa State House.of Assembly due to the governor’s closeness to his father Chief Elder October Lokpobiri. The same thing happened in his political journeys with Chief Timi Alaibe and Chief Timipre Sylva who were instrumental in making him a member of the Senate and later Minister of State for Agriculture, only to what people describe as biting the fingers that had fed him. His lack of support base and accusations of anti-party activities at home led to the leadership of APC in his LGA, Ekeremor, to suspend him from the party over a week ago.
The damning verdict by his party’s faithful do not show his acceptability and having a strong support base. Every politics is local, if somebody is not acceptable to his own people, to who will he be acceptable? This is why critical political observers are unanimous that Mr. President needs to do further surgical operation in his cabinet to look at the perfunctory score of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).