Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu has greenlit the appointment of Engineer Umar Abdullahi Umar as the Executive Director, Technical Services of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Notably, Umar is the son of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This decision transpired shortly after the approval of the indefinite suspension of the previous REA management team, led by Ahmad Salihijo.
Salhijo, who assumed the role in 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faced suspension alongside three directors—Olaniyi Alaba Netufo, Barka Sajou, and Sa’adatu Balgore—due to alleged involvement in fraudulent transactions.
Tinubu, in a reshuffling move, designated Aliyu Abubakar as the replacement for Salihijo, and concurrently named three new Executive Directors for the Agency.
The additional appointees include Ayoade Gboyega as Executive Director, Corporate Services, and Doris Uboh as Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
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The restructuring coincided with Tinubu’s directive for a broader investigation into the previous REA management team’s alleged “fraudulent misexpenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years.”
Tinubu’s spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale confirmed that anti-graft agencies have already initiated efforts to recover some of the misappropriated funds.
