Adeboye’s Exit: Buhari Sacks Jim Obazee of FRCN

By Dipo Olowookere

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the immediate reconstitution of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) headed by Mr Jim Obazee.

Mr Obazee has been in the eye of the storm since last Saturday when leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, announced he was stepping down for Pastor Joseph Obayemi to lead the church in Nigeria because of a new law in the country.

Pastor Adeboye, who was addressing the church Ministers at a programme held at the Redemption Camp in Ogun State, said Mr Obazee’s FRCN emphasised that no leader of a religious body in Nigeria can spend more than 20 years in the position.

Since the cleric’s announcement to his stunned Ministers, including Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, it has caused heated arguments on social media.

But on Monday, the President approved the removal of Mr Obazee as the Executive Secretary of the council and appointed Mr Daniel Asapokhai as his replacement.

Mr Asopokhai, according to a statement issued by Mr Buhari’s spokesman, Mr Garba Shehu, is a partner and a Financial Reporting Specialist at the PricewaterHouseCoopers (PWC), Nigeria. He is a product of the University of Lagos and the University of Pretoria.

Also, the President appointed Mr Adedotun Sulaiman as Chairman FRCN.

Mr Sulaiman was a former Managing Partner/Director of Arthur Anderson and later, Accenture. He is a Chartered Accountant and a product of the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School.

Meanwhile, President Buhari has instructed the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment to invite the 19 ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government and private sector organizations specified in the FRC Act to nominate members of the board of the council.