The new MD/CEO of REA, Ahmad Salihijo (middle), flanked by top management and some staff of the REA after taking a tour and meeting staff members of the agency. Credit: REA Nigeria

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) of Nigeria, ushered in the New Year with a newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Salihijo.

The appointment was officially approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Salihijo steps in following the suspension of former Managing Director of REA, Damilola Ogunbiyi, in December 2019.

However, on further investigation, Premium Times has discovered that the new CEO is a level 12 public official and the son of Salihijo Mohammed Ahmed, a former managing director of Afri-Project Consortium.

This has sparked debate in the public domain with claims against the President for displaying nepotism toward this appointment. Read the detailed news story by Premium Times here.

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Ogunbiyi was instructed by the Nigerian Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, to hand over to the next most senior officer in the agency following some apparent infractions in the agency.

A statement by Aaron Artimas, the special adviser to the Minister on media and communication, said: “Consequently, the minister has directed an immediate investigation into the activities of the agency towards re-positioning it for better service delivery.”

In a recent news post, it has been confirmed that the Nigerian Government has reversed the suspension of Ogunbiyi from her role as Managing Director of REA, whereby her resignation effective 31 December 2019 has been accepted by the President to enable her to take up her new UN appointment.

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