Youth Group Defends NMDPRA Chief, Says Allegations against Him Baseless 

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

A coalition of youth groups yesterday called on the National Assembly and the Presidency to disregard petitions and media reports alleging financial misconduct against the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

The South-south Youth Leaders and Agitators (SSYLA) as well as the Nigeria Youth for Good Governance (NYGG) described recent allegations against Ahmed as desperate attempts by faceless groups to derail the reforms taking place in the oil and gas regulatory space.

At a joint world press conference in Abuja, the two groups said the allegations levelled against Ahmed were politically motivated to tarnish his public service records.

Convener of the SSYLA, EIdogho Marcus, said the allegations against Ahmed were baseless, and were made by groups lacking credibility and national standing.

He said, “We equally call on the National Assembly, the SGF’s Office, and the Presidency to disregard baseless petitions sponsored by groups lacking credibility and national standing.

“These groups have no known history of public advocacy or anti-corruption engagement and appear only when hired for smear campaigns,” he stated.

He described allegations of sleaze circulating in the media against Ahmed as “spurious, unsubstantiated, and orchestrated” to malign him.

He argued that the integrity and professionalism of Ahmed have repositioned the midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.

Marcus expressed concern over what he described as the sudden emergence of unknown civil society outfits staging protests with professionally produced banners and media access, describing the development as “an obvious sign of a well-funded propaganda effort.”

Highlighting Ahmed’s track record, he noted his over 30 years of service in the oil and gas industry, his commitment to transparency, and the reforms he has led since assuming leadership of NMDPRA. 

Marcus listed the NMDPRA boss’ achievements to include initiatives that have improved regulatory oversight, promoted investor confidence, and aligned Nigeria’s petroleum operations with global best practices under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“We urge Nigerian youths to reject the culture of trial by media and to stand in defence of due process. If there are genuine issues, constitutionally established institutions such as the EFCC, ICPC, or the Auditor General’s Office should be allowed to investigate without public hysteria or political interference,” he said.

In his remarks, the Convener of NYGG, Oluwole Samson, appealed to the Nigerian media not to be “willing tools in the hands of political actors seeking to undermine public servants who stand for merit and reform.”

He warned against attempts to distract Ahmed from delivering on his mandate. 

Samson urged Nigerians and the international community to remain vigilant and support credible efforts aimed at institutional transformation in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

“We appeal to the media to remain the conscience of society by avoiding complicity in propaganda. We urge Nigerian youths to rise above political mischief and reject the culture of trial by media, Ahmed stated.

“He is one of the few public servants who have not used public office for personal aggrandisement but have instead deployed their expertise in service of the nation,” he added.