Farouk Ahmed NMDPRA CEO resigns after meeting with Tinubu

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The Chief Executive Officers of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, have resigned from their positions.

President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

In a statement, the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the President’s actions followed the resignation of the two chief executives.

Ahmed and Komolafe were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to head the two regulatory agencies established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Following their exit, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, seeking expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA.

Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, accused the former NMDPRA boss of spending more than $7 million over six years on the education of his four children in Switzerland, allegedly without evidence of lawful income.

In a petition, Dangote reportedly named the children, their schools, and the amounts paid for each, in support of his claims.

He further alleged that Ahmed used his position at the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, allegations that have triggered public outrage and protests by various groups.




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