Tinubu cancels appointment of government official

President Bola Tinubu has rescinded the appointment of Oluwa Somefun as Managing Director of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

The president reinstated Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa as the head of the commission.

Yelwa, who previously served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, will now continue in the role following the President’s decision.

The move restores his leadership at the commission, where he had earlier overseen projects focused on improving infrastructure, community development, and support for areas affected by hydroelectric power operations.

The reinstatement places Yelwa back at the centre of the commission’s mandate to deliver development to host communities of hydroelectric projects.

Pencom Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of policy analyst and writer Opeyemi Agbaje as the new Chairman of the National Pension Commission.

Agbaje confirmed the development on Saturday, saying that he was officially informed of the appointment earlier in the week.

NTA Management
Reports of a major leadership change at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) have stirred confusion within the state-owned broadcaster.

Several media outlets on Friday claimed that President Bola Tinubu had appointed Rotimi Pedro, a sports and entertainment executive from Lagos, as the new director-general of NTA.

The reports also mentioned other new appointees, including Karimah Bello from Katsina as Executive Director of Marketing, Stella Din from Plateau as Executive Director of News, and Sophia Issa Mohammed from Adamawa as Managing Director of NTA Enterprises Limited.

The reports said that the shake-up was part of the Presidency’s plan to reposition the NTA for a more competitive media landscape.

However, no official confirmation has been given by the federal government, leaving staff and management uncertain.

Salihu Dembos, who was reappointed by President Tinubu in October 2023 after first taking office under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is still recognized as the serving director-general.

He and other top management staff are currently on a government delegation for a three-day citizens’ engagement tour in Enugu and Ebonyi States, led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

The delegation also includes presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga and heads of other parastatals.

Neither the minister nor Mr Onanuga, who usually announces such federal appointments, has confirmed any change at NTA.

This has fueled speculations that some powerful aides to the president may be driving the reported appointments in an attempt to influence control of the broadcaster through Mr Pedro.

Mr Pedro, a lawyer with expertise in entertainment and intellectual property, is the founder of Optima Sports Management International (OSMI), which in the past distributed global sports content including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and CAF competitions across more than 40 countries.