But the current position as the alternative president, NaijaAgroNet reports offers Nigeria the privilege to deputise the incumbent president from Libya at OPEC meetings, in spite of the schemes by Iran to turn the table and the reported desire for Nigeria to occupy the office of the Secretary-General of the oil-nations’ caucus.
What’s OPEC Secretary-General?
The Secretary-General of OPEC is the legally authorized representative of the Organization and Chief Executive of the Secretariat. In this capacity, the Secretary-General administers the affairs of the Organization in accordance with the directions of the Board of Governors.
The Conference appoints the Secretary General for a period of three years, which may be renewed once for the same period, hence making a total of six years in office for any person so appointed. This appointment takes place upon nomination by Member Countries.
The Secretary General is assisted in the discharge of duties by a team of officers and staff including two Directors responsible for the Research Division and Support Services Division, six Heads of Department, the General Legal Counsel, Head of the Office of the Secretary-General and the Internal Auditor who independently ascertains whether the ongoing processes for controlling financial and administrative operations at the Secretariat are adequately designed and functioning in an effective manner.
Leadership standoff:
Sources close to OPEC and exposed by in the media quoted an OPEC insider as saying this “could end a long-running leadership standoff at the cartel, but which could also be controversial at home” due to corruption allegations against the Federal Government’s nomination.
The report also exposed that Nigeria’s delegation at OPEC stepped up lobby for Alison-Madueke to get the OPEC topnotch job, as the Secretary-General, stressing that Petroleum ministers from other OPEC countries are “reportedly divided over new Nigerian leadership pitch” and that Alison-Madueke as a woman faces resistance from the Arab member-nations.
Further NaijaAgroNet inquiries showed that OPEC has been bedeviled with internal wrangling and divisions as it looks to nominate a new leadership. Abdulla Salem el-Badri, the group’s long-standing secretary general, had been due to step down two years ago but the group could not decide on a replacement. Iran has for years coveted placing one of its own senior oil officials at the head of the group’s secretariat in Vienna; a move that Saudi Arabia has vigorously opposed, as gathered by correspondent.
Seeking positions with power:
NaijaAgroNet equally gathered that last December, Alison-Madueke was named OPEC’s alternate president at the caucus’ 164th session in Vienna, Austria, which means that Mrs. Allison-Madueke could deputise for Dr. Abdel Bari Ali Al-Arousi, who is the Minister of Oil and Gas of Libya elected president of the conference for another year from January 1, 2014.
Nigeria became full member of OPEC since 1971 and as NaijaAgroNet recalls that Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Minister of Petroleum Resources represents Nigeria as the alternate President of the OPEC Conference since assumption of office in 2010.
Born on December 6, 1960 in the city of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Alison-Madueke holds BArch, Howard University, Washington, DC (USA), MBA, Judge Institute of Management, University of Cambridge, UK, 2003, and has worked for Charles Szoradi Architects, Washington, DC.
She was a project engineer, American Interior Builders, Inc., Washington, DC and Coordinated designs for Furman Construction Management, Inc., Rockville, Maryland; Project Manager, Howard University, Washington, DC where she also worked as member, Planning and Development Team, Howard University, Washington, DC before returning to Nigeria to join Shell Petroleum Company Lagos as the Head of Project Unit, Estate Development Division.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke continued to progress within Shell Corporation as she was elevated to Head of Corporate Issues Identification & Management Department, External Affairs Directorate, Shell Petroleum Company, Lagos; Senior JV Relations Adviser for Strategy and Planning, Shell Petroleum Company; Lead Ventures Relation Adviser, Shell Petroleum Company, Lagos, Nigeria; External Affairs Director, Board of Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria.
In July 2007, she was appointed Minister of Transportation; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, December 2008 and till date serving as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, since April 2010.
What worked against Diezani:
However, the desire of Nigeria to occupy the position of the Secretary-General of OPEC may have gone nose-diving on the bases of corruption against the oil Minister, who was being accused by some stakeholders of not managing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) very well, thus enmeshed on corrupt practices.
The submitted report by the Senate Committee on Finance had however indicted the Ministry of Finance, CBN and the NNPC for what it described as lack of coordination in record keeping as it concerns remitting crude oil proceeds.
But the official report from OPEC has it that the tenure of the incumbent Secretary-General, Mr. Abdalla Salem El-Badri, was extended once again by one year.
Although if Princess Alison-Madueke was appointed, she would have been the first woman to ever lead the organization, and could necessitate her exiting current position as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum, because the OPEC position is a full-time job with its office in Vienna, Austria.
Despite the scheming of Alison-Madueke to get this job, obviously to get a breather from the Nigeria’s politics, she recently met with some oil ministers from Libya, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), yet it seemed the efforts to get her nomination into the semi-annual agenda of OPEC meeting which held on June 11, 2014 was not successful, alongside others, which forced the conference to extend the tenure of the incumbent till December 2014 with the hope that at such a time, things must have been sorted out to pave way for peaceful transition to whoever is chosen.
She is anticipated to face opposition candidates from countries like the Saudi Arabia and Iran anytime this position becomes vacant.
Chief M.O. Feyide – Nigeria - 1.1.1975–31.12.1976 was the first Nigerian to occupy this position in OPEC between January 1, 1975 and December 31 1976; while Dr. Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman – Nigeria – was OPEC secretary general between 1.7.1986–30.6.1988 and later was returned on January 1, 1995 which lasted till December 31, 2000. Also, in 2006, Dr. Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru a Nigerian was appointed into office till December 31 of the same year.
If Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s desire is accomplished though delayed at the moment, she will be not only the first lady to occupy such a high-placed office but also fifth Nigerian in that capacity and the 28th Secretary-General of OPEC.
If Nigeria truly wants to place Alison-Madueke as the Secretary-General of OPEC must take advantage of the extension of tenure for the incumbent to put her house in order, align with the oval opposition like Iran and Saudi Arabia.
As matter of fact, industry watchers see Saudi Arabia as the key opposition due to how well its oil wealth has been reportedly used to develop the country. So, it may be advisable to bring Iran into the Nigeria’s fold as its anticipated Iran may not get to this exulted office due to non-alignment with major interests in the west.
Iran also has a genuine case because since being the first Secretary-General in 60s, it has not had a second chance and may have the sympathy of other member nations in this regard.
But then, only time shall tell.
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