President Bola Tinubu has been urged to appoint Bala Maijama’a Wunti as the substantive Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The call was made by representatives of the Northern Initiative Forum for Growth, during a press conference in Bauchi to address a pressing matter of regional balance and representation.
The group commended the President for making strategic appointments to address various regional challenges as well as efforts to promote inclusivity and regional balance.
In the briefing signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, National Coordinator, Abdulazeez Yahaya Umar (Mandela) National Secretary and Mustapha Adamu, Director Planning, Research/Strategy, Northern Initiative for Growth states that, “the administration of President Ahmad Bola Tinubu has been doing well to promote balance in governance.”
“However, we strongly believe that the appointment of Alhaji Bala Maijama’a Wunti as the substantive Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is crucial at this juncture,” It stressed.
According to the group, “As you may recall, previous administrations have made strategic appointments to address regional challenges. The appointment of Yusuf Burutai as Chief of Army Staff from the North-East zone helped to curtail the Boko Haram insurgency. Similarly, the appointment of Mamman as Minister of Power from the same zone facilitated the development of a gigantic power plant project.”
It added that, “Under the current administration, the appointment of Ministers from the North-West to address insecurity challenges has yielded positive results. We believe that appointing Wunti as GMD of NNPCL will be a strategic move to promote regional balance and development.”
The group posited, “Wunti’s appointment will not only be a testament to the administration’s commitment to inclusivity but also a demonstration of its resolve to address the developmental challenges facing the Northern region. His impressive track record in the oil and gas industry, spanning over three decades, makes him an ideal candidate for the position.”
“We urge the President to consider Wunti’s appointment as a matter of regional balance, development, and the growth of the Nigerian oil and Furthermore, Wunti’s appointment will be in line with the principles of federal character, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” It added.
“Section 14 (3) of the Constitution states that “the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also to command national loyalty.”
“In view of the above, we urge you to use your good offices to support the appointment of Alhaji Bala Maijama’a Wunti as the substantive Group Managing Director of NNPCL. This appointment will not only be a testament to the administration’s commitment to regional balance but also a demonstration of its resolve to address the developmental challenges facing the Northern region.”
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