Ripples In Presidency Over Deregulation – Daily Independent
October 20, 2009 by Bunmi Awolusi
President Umaru Yar’Adua at the weekend summoned Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman Finance Minister, Mansur Muhtar and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Sanusi Barkindo, to a meeting as news of full deregulation of the oil sector caused angst in Aso Rock.
The Presidency has been embarrassed by the report of its plan to totally deregulate the sector on November 1, with Yar’Adua bothered about the damage this could do to his administration that is still basking in the euphoria of the success in the oil sector through the amnesty granted militants.
Lukman and Barkindo, who were billed to attend a world press conference in Abuja on Friday with the visiting Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary General, Abdallah El-Badri, were absent “after being summoned to the crucial meeting by Yar’Adua.”
