The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, has denied issuing any public statement in response to corruption allegations made against him by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group.
Ahmed made the clarification in a brief statement released on Wednesday, following the circulation of a viral message on social media allegedly signed by him.
He said the statement did not come from him and was not authorised by the NMDPRA.
“My attention has been drawn to a purported response I was said to have made on the recent allegations against my person,” Ahmed said.
“I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me.”
The NMDPRA boss explained that he deliberately avoided responding publicly to the allegations despite the attention they had generated.
“While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbats,” he said.
The clarification comes days after Dangote, during a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, called for an investigation into Ahmed’s finances.
Dangote questioned the source of funds allegedly used to pay for the foreign education of Ahmed’s children and urged the regulator to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“I’ve actually had people making complaints about a regulator who has actually put his children in secondary school,” Dangote said.
“That secondary school education, which is six years, four of them cost Nigeria $5m. You cannot imagine somebody paying $5m for educating four children.”
Dangote also petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, accusing Ahmed of actions that could damage public trust and investor confidence in the downstream petroleum sector.
Reacting to the development, Ahmed welcomed the move to involve the ICPC, saying it would give him a chance to clear his name.
“Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution,” he said.
“I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distil the issues and to clear my name.”
The ICPC has since confirmed receipt of Dangote’s petition, as the dispute continues to attract national attention.
