Mori-Baba’s Exit Triggers Succession Race at NIPOST

The federal government has not chosen a successor for retired Malam Ibrahim Mori-Baba, post master general of Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) but a list of potential successors have begun jostle for the post.

While Architect Enoch Oguns, erstwhile deputy post master general (DPMG), Engineering and Technical, is the acting PMG, a source at the nation’s apex postal body told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that six deputy postal master generals (DPMGs) are plotting how to pull rugs from each other’s feet to clinch the juicy PMG position.

Mori-Baba bowed out as NIPOST boss on August 31, after serving maximum of two terms, cumulatively nine years and six months.

According to the source at NIPOST headquarters who preferred anonymity said that two out of the six DPMGs will be retiring from the service between December this year and May next year.

“So, both want to have a feel of exalted post in NIPOST; even if it’s for 24 hours. It is usually the desire of any civil servant to be recorded as a chief executive officer of a Government establishment you have worked for all your life. So, we at the lower cadre are just watching on how their antics will work out or not.

“On the other hand, President Buhari may do unthinkable and appoint someone from the outside. The post of a PMG is crucial to the country, because NIPOST is a viable establishment that the present government cannot overlook” the source added.

“The truth is that the die is cast, but we will know who leads the Service going forward, because it is possible for the man on the acting position to last for six months on the seat. By then, some of them are closer to retirement”.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the DPMGs among whom President Buhari might appoint a substantive PMG to include, Architect Enoch Oguns, acting PMG, and erstwhile deputy post master general (DPMG), Engineering and Technical; Mr. J. Ariyo, DPMG-Finance & Investment; Apostle Emem Samuel, DPMG-Counter Operations; Mr. Osalodor Eboigbodin, DPMG-Mail Operations; Mr. Ndahi, DPMG-HRM and Mr. R. Balami, DPMG-Special Duties.

The department of Post and Telecommunications (P&T) was split during the regime of Buhari as then head of State in 1985.

From the split emerged the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), now defunct and the NIPOST.

Since then, the telecommunications sector has undergone several reforms culminating in tremendous investment and success of the sector, especially with the advent of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).