President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday appointed immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The President also fired the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas with immediate effect. In his stead, Jonathan appointed Mr. Olufemi A. Akingbade as Acting Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the NHIS.
Akingbade who hails from Ekiti State and holds a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science as well as a Masters in Business Administration was the General Manager, ICT in the NHIS until his new appointment.
No reason was given for action of the President against Thomas.
Obi, on his part, has been a very close ally of the President even when he was still a governor on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He later defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and championed the President’s re-election bid especially in the south-east.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan has also approved the confirmation of Mr. Mounir Haliru Gwarzo as Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Gwarzo who has been acting as Director-General of the Commission, was appointed to the Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission as Executive Commissioner in January, 2013.
