The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has appointed a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mohammed Barkindo, as its Secretary-General.
Barkindo replaces Libya’s Abdallah Salem El-Badri, who has been in charge since 2007.
Prior to the ex-NNPC helmsman’s appointment as the 23rd Secretary-General (this is aside the tenures of five Presidents who were at various times asked to oversee the Secretariat’s work in the absence of a Secretary General), OPEC tried unsuccessfully for more than three years to find a replacement for El-Badri, who was due to step down in 2012 after serving two terms in the role. However, his term was extended during OPEC’s last meeting in December 2015 until July 2016 after political inter-play among rivals Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq prevented the organization from settling on candidates that each of them proposed.
However, the stalemate ended on Thursday, June 2 as the 13-member group of powerful oil producing countries met in Vienna, Austria to appoint a new Secretary-General.
Barkindo, who was the NNPC GMD from 2009 to 2010, follows in the footsteps of other eminent Nigerians such as Edmund Daukoru, Rilwanu Lukman and M.O Feyide, who at various times, served as Secretary-General of OPEC.
Recall that the Federal Government nominated Mr. Barkindo for the position citing his qualification and experience.
Our correspondent reports that the Secretary General is appointed by the Conference from a member Country for a period of three years, a term of office that may be renewed once for the same period of time.
