President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Rilwan Lanre Babalola as the Special Adviser to the President on Power.
According to the presidency, Babalola will also serve as the chairman of the presidential task force on power sector reset and restoration.
At the same time, the president also redesigned the office of the special adviser on energy to the special adviser (oil and gas) to avoid duplication of roles within the energy governance framework.
Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, announced the development in a statement sent to Legit on Thursday, April 30.
Onanuga explained that the new presidential aide was a former minister of power and has been tasked to bring his expertise and understanding in the sector to resolve the structural and operational challenges confronting the value chain in the power sector.
He said Babalola’s appointment underscored the determination of the Tinubu government to take decisive decisions and reset Nigeria’s power sector.
Rilwan Lanre Babalola Listen was appointed Nigerian Minister of Power on 17 December 2008 after a cabinet shuffle by President Umaru Yar’Adua.He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.
Nigerians react as Tinubu appoints Babalola
However, the appointment of Babalola has started generating reactions from Nigerians.
Below are some of their comments: Obeleye Krukrubo commended the appointment: “This former Minister of Power, now appointed S.A on Power, should have been appointed the Substantive Minister for Power.
He has experience, expertise, and institutional memory to make a useful impact on the sector. There is only so much the Taskforce Chairman can achieve without the full support and cooperation of the Minister.”
Vincent Ilomechine said the appointment was commendable: “Why was he not appointed the Minister of Power? Once Minister of Power in 2008. Faced challenges in the power sector. In 2009, he suspended the Executive Chairman of the NERC and six commissioners. They had been arrested for misappropriating N1.54 billion. He knows the terrain.”
FOL condemned the creation of the office of the special adviser on power: “Just creating different portfolios for wastes and repeated responsibilities yet all to no avail… How clueless can a frail man be?”
‘Odogwu’ Michael claimed that the appointment of the special adviser came late: “Tinubu should have done this 3years ago. He has less than a year to perform and be sent packing.”
Francis Emmanuel Nwankwo criticised the timing of the appointment of Babalola: “A few months to the end of tenure, he wants to magically demonstrate care for Power! When he was loading panels, he did not remember that the power needed action. Well done, Antebellum.”