CSOs Apologies To NMDPRA Chief Over False Corruption Claims

Groups including Young Professionals for Peace and Development, Coalition of Civil Society Against Corruption, South East Frontiers, Niger Delta Advocacy for Good Governance, and Yoruba Action Group for Sustainable Development, Wednesday, begged and apologized to the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Engr Farouk Ahmed over alleged and unfounded allegations of corruption.

The leadership of the groups including the Director, Lawyers in Defence of Good Governance, Olawale Mudasiru; the National Co-ordinator, Northern Interest Project, Alh. Abdullahi Farouk; President, Young Professionals for Peace and Development, Engr. Emeka Obioara; President, Coalition of Civil Society Against Corruption, Comrade Adedayo Oluwasegun; Coordinator, South East Frontiers, Agozie Chibudom; President, Niger Delta Advocacy for Good Governance, Perepate Godspower; and President, Yoruba Action Group for Sustainable Development, Mogbojuri A. Alao, publicly rendered their apology, and also withdrew their petitions calling for the removal of the NMDPRA’s CEO during a world press conference held in Abuja.

This was contained in a press address signed by the leadership of the groups, which they said unanimously that their later investigation and information gathered showed that they made unfounded allegations and unverifiable claims against Ahmed and his family.

They said: “We the undersigned groups of civil society group that has been raising agitation for removal of NMDPRA boss as a result of mismanagement of public funds and using of public funds to sponsor four of his children in expensive schools/ ivory leagues abroad to a tune of $5 million.

“There we alleged to be luxury at the expense of Nigerians and the funds is from illegal proceeds as the head of the agency. We went further to demand for immediate removal and prosecution of the NMDPRA boss.

“A campaign that last for weeks.
Gentlemen of the Press, our further findings and investigations later brought to our notice showed that our initial allegations were unfounded as further evidence made available to us shows that the said children had already graduated from their respective institutions even before he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the agency, and also that the said Children was on scholarship during their stay as students of the institution.

“This means that, our initial claim was false and misleading as other findings have revealed in the case of further inquiries to press home our demand. Based on superior findings that negates our initial demand, we hereby use this medium to withdraw our initial petitions against the NMDPRA Boss, and tender an unreserved apology for the wrong information we were peddling about him.

“We are not mindful of the pains this would have caused the entire family while the petition was submitted and followed, we were misinformed and we tendered our apology on the misleading news we have spread to the public against the CEO.

“On behalf of the Groups under listed, we hereby officially withdraw the said petition and pass a vote of confidence on Engr. Farouk Ahmed as we also noticed unhindered implementation of Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021), which ensures equitable distribution of petroleum products nationwide compared to what we used to have, also audit report made available to us after didn’t show the mentioned infractions which further buttress the fact that, the agency fund was not used to sponsor his Children in the mentioned institutions.

“While we remain alive to our responsibility as watch dog of the society, especially the Public office holders entrusted with public funds, we won’t shy away from withdrawing frivolous allegations if found out that we have been misguided by information initially made available to us.
Again, we all tender our unreserved apology.”