How President Tinubu violates Electricity Act in REA appointment
By Omeiza Bilal
Twenty-four hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended the Board of the Rural Electricity Agency (REA), and replaced them with other Nigerians, facts have emerged that the President violated the Nigeria Electricity Act 2023.
Checks by Business Affairs reveals that in constituting the Board of the Agency, the six geopolitical zones must be represented.
The Electricity Act 2023, states that “The Board shall consist of seven members as follows: “Six members appointed to represent the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria out of which one shall be designated as part-time Chairman, two others designated as Non-Executive Director while the other three shall serve as Executive Directors; and
“If a member of the board ceases to hold office for any reason whatsoever, before the expiration of the term for which he is appointed, another person representing the geopolitical zone and possessing the requisite qualification shall be appointed in his stead as a member of the Board to serve the unexpired term of the person whose membership of the Board has ceased.”
The president, in a statement Thursday, by his Special Adviser (Media & Publicity), Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, and three Executive Directors of the Agency had been suspended following a probe into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
The three Executive Directors are: Olaniyi Alaba Netufo — Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barka Sajou — Executive Director, Technical Services, and Sa’adatu Belgore — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
Further checks by this newspaper showed that the appointment of Abba Abubakar Aliyu as Managing Director/CEO; Ayoade Gboyega — Executive Director, Corporate Services; Umar Abdullahi Umar — Executive Director, Technical Services; Doris Uboh — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF); and Olufemi Akinyelure — Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project, was a gross violation of the Act setting up the Agency.
Search showed that Abba the Acting MD/CEO, hails from Kano State, the same state as Umar Abdullahi Umar — ED Technical Services.
While Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project, and Ayoade Gboyega, ED Corporate Services, Doris Uboh, ED REF are from Ondo, Osun and Delta States respectively.
In the appointment, the North East, North Central, and the South East geopolitical zones were excluded by the President in the appointment contrary to the dictates of the Act.
A source in the Agency, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorized to speak on the matter told our reporter that including Sa’adatu Belgore, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF), who was appointed in April 2023 was overkill.
According to the source, probe of the ‘misexpenditure’ of funds dates back to 2022, when Belgore was not yet appointed as Executive Director.
“While punish somebody for the sins of another person. The Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Sa’adatu Belgore was appointed on 18th April 2023 after the incident for which the Board was suspended. It is a pure case of overgeneralization.
“And besides the replacement announced by the President is skewed in favour of the South West and the North West which is contrary to what the Electricity Act says,” the source said.
