Diezani Alison-Madueke Failed To Become OPEC Secretary General

Another disappointment awaited President Goodluck Jonathan on June 11, 2014, Wednesday, as his lobbying of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for the post of the Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) led to nothing.

* OPEC press conference in Vienna, June 11, 2014. Photo credit – @DWOlafKrieger 

The 165th OPEC meeting of finished in the Austrian capital city of Vienna, Austria, with the decision to extend the tenure of the current Secretary General, Abdalla S. El-Badri, Iraq, for one more tenure of six months, starting from January 1, 2015.

According to SaharaReporters, the minister, who is in the centre of attention due to multiple loud corruption cases in Nigeria, failed to make the grade. Therefore, Alison-Madueke’s dream to become the first ever female Secretary General of the OPEC has been shattered.

* Alison-Madueke speaks after her nomination as a candidate for the post of OPEC Secretary General on June 10, 2014. Photo credit – @NaijaHistory 

The decision that the current SG of the OPEC would remain in charge for almost one year was quite unexpected. Insiders said that it may be considered as a blow to President Jonathan, who wanted to install a Nigerian on this prestigious post. 

It would be noted that the controversial minister was in the centre of attention for reckless spending of the Nigerian taxpayers’ money. For instance, in 2012 during the meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York, Alison-Madueke had booked and paid for two rooms at two separate high-level hotels.

Four nights at the Pierre Hotel cost USD3,000 each, while a room charges at the exclusive Four Seasons Hotel reached to USD5,000 per night, Joe Mordi, a London-based NNPC official and an aide to the minister has previously revealed to SaharaReporters.

The Minister of Petroleum resources is likely to retain her post in Jonathan’s administration. However, rejection of Alison-Madueke’s bid for the high post in OPEC would not go unnoticed, both inside and outside Nigeria for the years to come.

OPEC’s mission is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.

The next Ordinary Meeting of the organisation will take place in Vienna, Austria, on November 27, 2014.