The Minister for Petroleum, Princess Diezani Kogbeni
Alison-Madueke is the alternative president of the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), NaijaAgroNet can confirm.
This, NaijaAgroNet
also reports offers Nigeria the privilege to deputise the incumbent president from
Libya at the OPEC meetings, in spite of the schemes by Iran to turn the table.
Sources close to OPEC and exposed by The
Wall Street Journal were
reported as quoting an OPEC insider saying this “could end a
long-running leadership standoff at the cartel, but which could also be
controversial at home.”
The report also exposed that Nigeria’s delegation at OPEC has
stepped up lobby for Alison-Madueke to get the OPEC topnotch job, stressing
that Petroleum ministers from other OPEC countries are “reportedly divided over
new Nigerian leadership pitch” and that Alison-Madueke 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.”
NaijaAgroNet
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 the 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.
NaijaAgroNet
recalls that Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Minister of Petroleum Resources
represents Nigeria as the alternate President of the OPEC Conference.
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.
Chuks Egbuna/GEE
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Pix: Princess Alison-Madueke