Dr. Ibe Kachikwu might not be everybody's favourite especially if you are a fan of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (recall his now infamous outburst in March) .
Though Kachikwu was unknown to those of us outside the oil and gas sector before his appointment , however perusing his Resume reminded us that he was a experienced
genius. Though appointed as the Group Managing Director of one of Nigeria's most corrupt and fraudulent corporations Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Kachikwu was never one afraid of challenges. Assuming control he initiated several strategic but super changes which not only made the corporation stand out but regain it's lost glory .
As if that wasn't enough , it was only normal to many who know how effective the minister is when the NNPC announced an operating profit of N273.74 million for the month of May which is contrary to the N35 million loss that the corporation had made in the last 15 years. This was mainly achieved after efficiency was restored to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and the improvement in the cost efficiency at the NNPC corporate headquarters. For avoidance of doubt this history was only achieved in the lawyer's ten month stewardship which wasn't a walk In the park as long queues became the order of the day at a time .
Kachikwu's appointment in August 2015 was however met with shock with regards the ethnic bigotry of the present President who lacks respect for appointment based on federal character instead consistently calling Nigerians from the South Southern and South Eastern part of the country as the "5%" population in reference to the little support shown to him during the election. What wasn't clear then was that the president was still scheming for a way to implement his nepotism onslaught on the Southern few. The hand writing became clearer after Kachikwu was nominated and appointed a junior minister (minister of state for petroleum) with the president the senior minister. Then it only became a matter of when and not if (his sacking from NNPC ) . This did not take long to happen as Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru was recently appointed the new Group Managing Director to fill the missing jigsaw in the plans of the president to appointment his northern brothers in every economic vibrant nigerian institution .
Nigerians were decided with the news that Kachikwu was elevated as board chairman of the NNPC but while that is true in hierarchy , the board chairman is just a ceremonial head and yields no official power in the daily affairs of the institution . Kachikwu on the other hand is not a senior minister as he is stuck in-between the president and the GMD with little or no power.
As the president and his northern cohorts continue to "Northenise" the country with the excuse that appointments are made based on merit and not geographical origins then that excuse is rendered worthless with the question why the only effective and efficient appointee (Kachikwu) of the president since his administration was suddenly sacked unceremoniously with little or no regard. Did Kachikwu disappoint the president by efficiently carrying out his duties while he was expected to fail and hence disgraced out of office and crucified? Was the genius becoming so effective that it was feared he could become the darling of all or did the president become uncomfortable that a Nigerian from the "5%" was sitting on such exalted position.
There will always be questions in this present propaganda based government but one thing is clear and that is - Nigerians cannot be fooled for too long.
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