The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu will not interfere with the work of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies following allegations of corruption against Farouk Ahmed, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA.
Farouk Ahmed recently stepped down from his position after corruption allegations were raised against him by Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited.
Reacting to growing public criticism, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the President has no authority to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, on how to handle the matter.
Onanuga made this known on Thursday in a post on X, where he responded to comments questioning why no arrest or formal investigation had been announced following Ahmed’s resignation.
One X user, @OurFavOnlineDoc, criticised the situation, arguing that resignation without prosecution does not amount to accountability.
“No prosecution. No arrest. No investigation. No proper accountability.
Just allegation of stealing public funds, followed by a quiet resignation, and everybody can move on.
This is not how to build a sane country with trust, integrity, and respect before the world. What a shame,” the user wrote.
In response, Onanuga dismissed the criticism as misguided, stressing that both the EFCC and ICPC operate independently under the law.
“This is how we get things wrong through uninformed criticism. ICPC and EFCC are autonomous institutions. The ball is now in their courts to carry out their mandates. Mr. President will not tell them what to do,” he stated.
He reiterated that any investigation or prosecution relating to the allegations against Ahmed rests solely with the relevant anti-corruption agencies, not the Presidency.
