The Senate will on Friday confirm President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for the leadership of the two key petroleum regulatory agencies, Saidu Muhammad and Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, following their screening by the Committee of the Whole on Thursday.

Ahead of the exercise, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced at plenary that he had received two letters from President Tinubu seeking the confirmation of new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), “in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.”

Reading the letters, Akpabio said the President nominated Engineer Saidu Muhammad as the Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA pursuant to Section 41(6) of the Act.

Tinubu explained that the nomination followed the resignation of the immediate past head of the authority and stressed the need for speedy confirmation to prevent a leadership vacuum in an agency overseeing critical midstream and downstream operations, including the authorisation of vessel movements.

“I hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously,” the President said, while assuring the Senate leadership of his highest regard.

Citing time constraints and the strategic nature of the position, Akpabio referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

In a second letter, the President sought the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, “in line with Section 11(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.”

Tinubu said the nomination was also necessitated by the resignation of the commission’s immediate past chief executive and urged the Senate to act swiftly to ensure stability and continuity in the regulation of the upstream petroleum sector.

That nomination was similarly referred to the Committee of the Whole for prompt consideration and possible confirmation.

The screening, which took place at Senate Room 117, saw both nominees and their delegations already seated before the commencement of proceedings.

Contrary to expectations of a rigorous session, the exercise was largely routine, as the nominees were asked to “take a bow and go” after their résumés were verified, and a few questions were asked.

The development follows a major shake-up in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory space after the resignations of the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, and his counterpart at the NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe.

The Presidency had on Wednesday announced both of their resignations amid growing controversy sparked by allegations and a petition by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, over regulatory actions affecting the downstream sector.

The dispute centred on disagreements between the Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA over fuel importation, pricing, and regulatory oversight.

Dangote had accused Ahmed of economic sabotage and later petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging questionable personal wealth, including claims that the regulator paid about $5 million for the secondary education of his four children in Switzerland.

Following the petition and ensuing controversy, Ahmed was summoned to the Presidential Villa and later resigned.

Komolafe, though not directly linked to the dispute, also exited office, with sources indicating that the Presidency opted for a simultaneous leadership change at both agencies.

Confirming the nominations, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu had forwarded the names to the Senate for approval, describing both nominees as seasoned oil and gas professionals.

Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years at the NNPC and its subsidiaries, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream, between 2023 and 2024. She also served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy, from 2019 to 2023.

Muhammad, born in 1957 in Gombe State, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. His previous roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, as well as chairman of the boards of the West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail. (The PUNCH)

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