President Bola Tinubu has sacked Alexander Okoh, director-general and chief executive officer (CEO), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), and Babatunde Irukera, executive vice chairman and CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president, media and publicity, announced the sack of Okoh and Irukera in a statement on Monday.
Okoh was appointed BPE DG on April 13, 2017, Irukera DG of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in April 2017, but after the transition of CPC into the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in December 2019, he became the EVC.
Ngelale said Okoh and Irukera were sacked due to the Federal Government’s plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies to protect the rights of Nigerian consumers.
He added that the dismissal of Okoh and Irukera aligns with the government’s strategy to enhance the contributions of key growth-enabling institutions to the nation’s economy.
“The two dismissed Chief Executives are directed to hand over to the next most senior officer in their respective agencies, pending the appointment of new Chief Executive Officers,” Ngelale said.
Commenting on his dismissal, Irukera expressed gratitude for the “opportunity to have served the incredibly vibrant & loyal Nigerian citizens/consumers”.
“They deserve a better deal. I leave behind a strong Institutional advocate in the FCCPC, & an outstanding team of soldiers who work there daily for the cause of fair markets,” he said.
Ngelale said Okoh and Irukera’s sack took effect immediately.