- Safiu Kehinde
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has received petition submitted by the Nigerian businessman and Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk,
NPO Reported that Dangote had on Tuesday submitted the petition to the ICPC, demanding for the investigation and prosecution of Ahmed over alleged corruption and financial impropriety, particularly on his alleged payment of $5 million as school fees for his four children studying in Switzerland.
The ICPC, as confirmed by Dangote’s legal counsel, Innocent Adoh, has acknowledged the petition alongside the evidence attached to it.
Adoh made this known while addressing newsmen at the ICPC’s premises in Abuja on Tuesday.
The legal counsel held that Dangote had justly filed the petition as a taxpayer who demand accountability on the alleged excesses of the NMDPRA boss.
“We are here to submit a formal petition on behalf of our client, Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical, against Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of Downstream, Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, over his excesses. We believe that he is benefitting unduly on the public office he holds against Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
“In the circumstance, we have no choice than to formally present a petition against him.
“We have evidence. The petition has already been submitted and acknowledged by the ICPC. The attached evidence of money that are being expended as school fees of his children in excess of $7 million annually.
“We wonder how a civil servant in Nigeria will get that kind of money to pay such school fees and other logistics.
“Our client has the right as taxpayer to present this petition against these excesses of a public officer.
“It is for the commission to investigate and if they found that prima facie case has been established against the said Engr. Farouk Ahmed, a formal prosecution will be taken against him and the law will take its course.
“The law is no respecter of anybody no matter how highly placed.
“Others cannot be toiling the country to make a living while others are busy grandstanding a frivolous lifestyle.” Adoh said.
The counse; further dismissed claim of the petition clashing with the House of Representatives oversight function on the NMDPRA, stressing that petition will not truncate the credibility of their oversight function as regards the allegation against Ahmed.
“The Commission was duly established by an act of parliament to investigate issues like this. And there has never been any formal petition presented before the ICPC to enable them to investigate this matter.
“The House of Representatives have their oversight function. This does not impeach the credibility of their oversight function.
“If they want to resolve it this way, we have a constitutional responsibility to present a petition against somebody who is a public servant and under the rules of the public service and we believe he s acting against the rules of the public service regulations.” He added.