- Iloanusi squares with Opeifa as likely replacement
By Demi Adeniyi
Erstwhile Director of Procurement of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has taken over as the Acting managing Director of the nation’s oldest public corporation following the completion of the two-term tenure of Engr Fidet Okhiria.
The change of guards was announced in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Relations of the Corporation Yakub Mahood.
Iloanusi, is the oldest director in active service. He joined the Nigerian Railway Corporation in 2011 and became director in 2019.
Okhiria concluded his second term of four-years on October 20, and because this fell on a Sunday, had to be moved backwards to Friday, October 18 to allow him to officially hand over to the most senior director, while the corporation awaits the appointment of the new helmsman from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who returned to the country on Sunday.
Iloanusi holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Master of Business Administration, (MBA), in International Management from the South Bank University in London, United Kingdom.
In his farewell speech, Okhiria expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, for their commitment to the nation’s transportation and the expansion of the railway networks across the country.
He also lauded the entire NRC workers led by the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR) for their unalloyed support for him throughout his tenure as the Managing Director, urging them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.
He said: “I enjoined the management and staff to extend the same cooperation and understanding to the acting managing director,” Okhiria said.
Responding, Iloanusi called for support of all NRC staff and welcomed constructive criticism aimed at helping to advance the organization.
He expressed his commitment to leading the corporation effectively during this transition period.
Meanwhile Okhiria’s exit has paved the way for intense lobby by high flying technocrats, and professionals for appointment as the new managing director by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Though Iloanusi enjoys the support of many pundits especially as he is within the system and the NRC has enjoyed picking its helmsmen from within the system.
However, a major drawback is the fact that should the President be interested be interested in appointing a core professional to head the highly technical enterprise, Iloanusi may be edged out.
Also on the lips of many is the name of Dr Kayode Opeifa, who had been a former Lagos State Commissioner of Transportation under the Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola administration. He was appointed Executive Secretary of the FCTA Transportation Agency, and coordinated
Opeifa, had since been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the sanitation of the orderliness on the Apapa Access Roads, which he did in record three months, and thereafter appointed as also by the former president as a member of the Board of Directors of the corporation, a position he still enjoys. Opeifa, who holds a Ph.D in Transport Planning, is the Executive Director of Centre for Sustainable Mobility and Access Development (CensMAD), stands a huge chance of being appointed as he enjoys the confidence of many of Tinubu apostles and have remained a staunch mobiliser and supporter of the administration.