By Fredrick Wright
The Presidency on Wednesday reacted to a news item making the rounds, credited to the Minister of State for Power that
President Muhammadu Buhari has denied ordering the sack and replacement of the management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
This is coming as the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has named Mr. Bada Akinwumi as Interim Managing Director (MD) of the company.
The Presidency, in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Shehu Garba, said, this cannot be true, since the privatization of the power sector in 2013, the management of the successor companies has reverted to the new owners.
The statement reads: “It is, therefore, totally out of place and inconceivable that the President would be linked to the management of a private organization, let alone sacking it.
“It is gladdening to note that the minister quoted in the statement has himself distanced himself from it.
“The Presidency, therefore, wishes to state expressly and reassure investors in the economy that President Buhari did not order the sack of the management of AEDC, neither does he intend to interfere in the running of the affairs of private business entities.
“The Presidency, however, welcomes ongoing discussions with relevant stakeholders to resolve the issues surrounding the recent developments in the company.”
Meanwhile, the new appointment was contained in a statement by Amina Tukur Othman, Head, Public Communications of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
Other members of the Interim Management named by BPE includes: Sani Usman (Interim Chief Business Officer); Babajide Ibironke (Interim Chief Finance Officer); Donald Etim (Interim Chief Marketing Officer); and Femi Zachaeus (Interim Chief Technical Officer).
