The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and more than 75 civil society organisations (CSOs) operating under the umbrella of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have issued a 14-day ultimatum to Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), demanding that he immediately step aside to allow for an independent, transparent, and unhindered investigation into what they described as an “avalanche of corruption allegations” against him.
In a joint press statement signed by Comrade James Ezema, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, and Alhaji Ali Abacha, National Secretary of the CNCSOs, the organisations said their demand follows what they described as “escalating protests by reputable youth-based advocacy groups,” including the Concerned Young Professionals Network and the Young Professionals Forum of Nigeria. According to the statement, these groups have, for two consecutive days, occupied the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding accountability and justice.
The CNPP and CSOs expressed deep concern that Engr. Ahmed “is at the center of what appears to be one of the most brazen cases of public sector corruption in recent times.” Citing multiple reports and public petitions, they alleged that “over $5 million (approximately ₦7.5 billion) of public funds may have been diverted under his leadership to finance the foreign education of his four children at some of the most expensive and elite institutions in Europe, including Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and European University Montreux.”
The groups noted that these schools charge between “$80,000 and $140,000 per annum per child,” a figure that raises “fundamental questions about the source of funds for such extravagant expenditures.”
Beyond the financial scandal, the CNPP and CSOs accused Engr. Ahmed of “gross abuse of office, conflict of interest, and regulatory compromises that threaten the credibility of the entire Nigerian oil and gas downstream sector.” They warned that Ahmed’s continued stay in office “not only undermines ongoing investigations but erodes public trust in critical regulatory institutions.”
The joint statement reminded the embattled NMDPRA CEO that “public office is a public trust,” emphasizing that “once that trust is broken, the honourable and ethical course of action is to step aside for investigation.”
Raising further concerns, the groups expressed alarm over reports that, rather than address the growing calls for accountability, “there are now disturbing reports of sponsored thugs attacking peaceful protesters at the NMDPRA headquarters in a desperate bid to suppress public outcry.”
Making their position unmistakably clear, the CNPP and CSOs warned that “intimidation of citizens exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful protest will not be tolerated.” They reaffirmed that “the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, and we will continue to stand with every citizen calling for probity and good governance.”
Reiterating their demands, the CNPP and CSOs issued a “14-day ultimatum to Engr. Farouk Ahmed to voluntarily step aside pending the conclusion of a multi-agency investigation involving the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).”
The statement revealed that a nationwide mobilization of allied civil society organisations, pro-democracy groups, and concerned citizens has already commenced. The groups warned that “should Engr. Ahmed fail to comply within the stipulated 14 days, we will not hesitate to launch sustained and coordinated mass actions, including the total shutdown of NMDPRA headquarters and its zonal offices nationwide, until justice is served.”
Additionally, the CNPP and CSOs called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “to immediately direct the suspension of Engr. Farouk Ahmed, in line with his administration’s anti-corruption stance, to prevent interference with investigations and preserve the integrity of the oil and gas regulatory space.”
The statement concluded with a strong declaration that “Nigerians demand and deserve a leadership that is above reproach. The days of impunity in public office are over.”
