Jonathan fires Oniwon; appoints Andrew Yakubu as new NNPC’s GMD

The new Group Managing Director of the Nigeria Nationa Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday approved the sack of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austen Oniwon and the appointment of Andrew Yakubu as the new helmsman of the corporation.

The change of the NNPC management team was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati.

The president also approved the appointment of Victor Briggs as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
According to the statement, the decision to restructure the NNPC was in a bid to strengthen the on-going reforms and transformation of Nigeria’s Petroleum sector.

Part of the statement reads:

”in furtherance of efforts to achieve greater transparency and accountability in government, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the re-composition of the executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as follows:
• Engineer Andrew Yakubu                                             Group Managing Director
• Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti                                                     Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts)
• Engineer Abiye Membere                                              Group Executive Director (Exploration and Production)
• Dr. Peter S. Nmadu                                                          Group Executive Director (Corporate Services)
• Engineer Anthony Ogbuigwe                                       Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals)
• Dr. Attahir B. Yusuf