The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abubakar Atiku have joined others to mourn the death of the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Sanusi Barkindo.
Barkindo, who was announced dead on Wednesday by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, was set to sign off from the helm of affairs at OPEC by the end of July. While announcing the death, Kyari said, “We lost our esteemed Dr. Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11 pm yesterday, July 5, 2022. “Certainly, a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC, and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.”
The cause of his death was not mentioned.
Earlier on Tuesday, July 5, Buhari had received Barkindo at the state house, to celebrate his achievements as the outgoing OPEC secretary-general.
On Wednesday, President Buhari expressed sadness over his passing. A statement signed by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘We have lost a huge national asset,’ said, “The President pays tribute to the remarkable gentleman and enormous national asset, who from his youthful days worked meritoriously in the service of the nation in various national and international capacities, and never stopped being a beacon of light to the country he loved until his last breath.
“The President affirms that Barkindo’s undeniable brilliance and legacies as a dedicated public servant will remain a reference point in the oil and gas industry, international development, and the environment sector.”
Also mourning the late OPEC secretary-general, the Senate President, Lawan, said, “The news of the tragic death of OPEC Secretary-General, Mohammed Barkindo, came to me as a rude shock. Barkindo’s exemplary leadership at the global oil cartel brought stability to the ever-volatile oil market.
“The world will remember him for how he was able to rally both the OPEC and non-OPEC members together to save the energy market. The world will miss him and particularly the global energy community.”
In a post mourning Barkindo, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku, stated, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. I am saddened by the passing away of the Wali of Adamawa, Secretary-General of OPEC, and former Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo.
“Barkindo left indelible marks in his service to our nation and OPEC.”
