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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Following the corruption allegation levelled against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, by President of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy and Anti-Corruption has parried the claims.
Its National Coordinator and Secretary, Barrister Emeka Okafor and Barrister Mohammed Bello, in a statement yesterday, warned that such actions undermine democracy, the rule of law and investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Okafor described the allegations, including claims that Ahmed received $5 million and sponsored his children’s education in foreign institutions in Switzerland, as reckless fabrications unsupported by facts or evidence.
He pointed out that monopoly is not the best form of business, insisting that the efforts of the NMDPRA boss are in the national interest and not to witch-hunt or target any businessman in the petroleum industry.
He said: “We find these allegations not only frivolous and unfounded but also dangerous to the stability and development of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector.
“This is a clear attempt at a media conviction of a public officer who has not been investigated, charged or found guilty by any competent authority.”
He emphasised that Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) expressly guarantees the right to fair hearing, stressing that no Nigerian, regardless of status, can be declared guilty on the basis of public accusations or media narratives.
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“The Constitution is clear. Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. What we are witnessing is a blatant violation of this sacred constitutional provision,” Okafor added.
He faulted Dangote for failing to channel his grievances through appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms, noting that a personality of his stature ought to understand the importance of petitions, investigations and lawful procedures rather than public sensationalism.
“If indeed there were genuine concerns, the proper course of action would have been to submit a petition to relevant anti-corruption agencies for investigation, not a trial by media,” he added.
The Secretary, Mohammed Bello, warned that witch-hunting tactics could discourage both local and foreign investors at a critical time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on implementing workable policies to attract investment and revitalise the economy.
He noted that the liberalisation of the downstream petroleum sector, driven by regulatory reforms under Engr Ahmed’s leadership at the NMDPRA, has opened up the industry, attracted new investors and dismantled monopolistic tendencies.
“Ironically, the same reforms Dangote appears to be attacking are the very policies that enabled private sector participation, including the establishment of the Dangote Refinery,” he stated.
