Chief executive officer (CEO), of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has said he is ready to face investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and clear his name, rather than engage in public brickbat.
Ahmed who stated this in a statement on Wednesday, also dismissed an earlier statement circulating on social media, which was purported to be his response to the allegations against him by chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.
On Monday, Dangote alleged that Ahmed “paid $5 million” to a Swiss secondary school for his children’s education, describing the act as “economic sabotage and corruption.”
Dangote, in newspaper advertorials published on Tuesday, listed the four children as Faisal Farouk, Farouk Jr., Ashraf Farouk, and Farhana Farouk.
Also on Tuesday, the billionaire businessman submitted a petition against the NMDPRA CEO to the ICPC over “corruption and financial impropriety.”
The NMDPRA CEO said Dangote’s decision to refer the matter to a formal investigative body would allow the issues to be examined objectively and without emotion.
“My attention has been drawn to a purported response I was said to have made on the recent allegations against my person. I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me,” the statement reads.
“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 brickbat.
“Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distill the issues and to clear my name.”
