Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described the controversy surrounding the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, as a matter of public trust and moral responsibility.
The debate followed allegations by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, that Ahmed spent about $5 million on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland. Dangote made the claim during a press conference in Lagos and called for a full investigation, arguing that such spending raised serious questions about transparency in public office.
The allegations triggered widespread public scrutiny and later culminated in Ahmed’s resignation as head of the regulatory agency.
Reacting in a post on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi said the alleged expenditure, estimated at about ₦7.5 billion at current exchange rates, highlights deep ethical concerns in a country grappling with widespread poverty and an education crisis.
“At current exchange rates, $5 million is approximately ₦7.5 billion,” Obi said, noting that Nigeria has more than 18 million out-of-school children.
While stressing that investing in education is commendable, Obi argued that the scale of the alleged spending demands scrutiny when linked to a public office holder.
“The issue is not education itself, but scale, context and moral consequence, especially in a country marked by extreme inequality,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor outlined alternative ways such funds could be deployed within Nigeria’s education sector, arguing that ₦7.5 billion could build dozens of school blocks, educate thousands of students annually and create employment for teachers.
Obi added that the controversy should provoke broader reflection beyond the individual involved.
“The Farouk Ahmed issue is not just about one man. It is a mirror held up to our collective conscience on how privilege and responsibility intersect in public life,” he said.
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