President Jonathan announced through press release that the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) Executive Secretary Sharon Kasali has been fired. Mrs. Kasali’s unceremonious employment termination came just days after SaharaReporters exposed her for taking an unlawful third term in that position.

The PEF is responsible for equalizing the price of petroleum for transportation between coastal and interior regions of Nigeria.

According to government regulations, no director of parastatal head may stay in the same position for more than two terms. However, Mrs. Kasali believed that the PEF was exempt from such a rule, according to industry sources at the parastatal.

Mrs. Kasali’s tenure at PEF was marked by tension, which was only exacerbated once she refused to leave after her second term, according to sources wishing to have anonymity. A letter from the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) addressed to Mrs. Kasali said, “we have highlighted [previously] problems ranging from unnecessary delays and non-payment of bridging and transport claims to total sensitivity to plight of our members in the implementation project.”

The press release from Jonathan’s office did not explain to cause of Sharon Kasali’s termination and simply described the qualifications of incoming PEF Executive Secretary Asabe Ahmed.

The same press release announced that Ernest Nwapa from the Nigerian Content Management Development Board (NCDMB) was also sacked and will be replaced by Denzil Kentebe.