Headline

CACOVID Turns BUA’s Vaccines Purchase into Politics

Published

5 years ago

February 9, 2021

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

A mellow drama played out Monday evening February 8 between the BUA Group and the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a private sector organisation, which has been in partnership with the Federal Government in tackling the dreaded Coronavirus since it gained grounds earlier in 2020, raising the question who is playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.

BUA Group had earlier notified the public of a gigantic step it took to procure the much needed COVID-19 vaccines, which had in the recent past been a major issue of concern for the government and people of Nigeria. It said in the statement that it has purchased one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria, through the AfreximBank vaccine programme in partnership with CACOVID.

The vaccines, according to BUA, which should be delivered by next week, will be the first delivery of vaccines to Nigeria since the COVID-19 vaccines became available. The company maintained that vaccines will be distributed to Nigerians at no cost.

In his appreciation for the token opportunity given to serve his country, Founder of BUA, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, thanked the President of the AfreximBank, Benedict Oramah, for making the purchase possible and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, for coordinating the process through CACOVID.

Mr Rabiu noted:

“BUA decided to secure these one million vaccines by paying the full amount for the vaccines today because these vaccines became available only last week through AFREXIM. We expect the vaccines to be delivered within the next 14 days and hope priority will be given to our frontline workers who have committed their lives to managing the pandemic.

“In addition to this, BUA is committing to purchase 5 million doses for Nigeria as soon as they become available through this same arrangement.”

However, in a swift reaction, CACOVID responded, denying that BUA Group neither paid nor procured any vaccines as claimed.

The group disowned the statement by the BUA group, which stated that the company plans to purchase one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria.

In its counter statement however, CACOVID denied BUA’s contribution to securing the doses, stating that purchase of the vaccine cannot be done by individuals or companies, but only through the Federal Government.

“CACOVID is dismayed to learn of reports on social media today, alleging that BUA is singlehandedly purchasing 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for Nigeria. Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu must have been misquoted because these claims are not factual CACOVID operates on a collegiate fund contribution model. There is no agreement between bua, cacovid AND Afreximbank,” CACOVID noted.

The statement concluded saying:

“CACOVID would like the Nigerian public to understand that vaccine purchase is possible through the Federal Government of Nigeria, and that no individual or company can purchase vaccines from any legitimate and recognised manufacturer.”

Shortly afterwards, BUA came out with a rejoinder, which it titled DON’T PLAY POLITICS WITH NIGERIAN LIVES, where it expressed shock at the “reports allegedly attributed to CACOVID disowning its earlier payment through CACOVID for 1 million AstraZeneca doses for Nigeria via the AFREXIM vaccine platform”.

The rejoinder narrated in details how the BUA Group stepped out to fill a vacuum, wondering why a reputable group like CACOVID would deny the gesture.

It added: “After extensive deliberations, there was no agreement reached reached and despite members being offered the opportunity to donate funds towards procuring the doses, none offered. BUA then took it upon itself to offer to pay for the 1 million doses at the agreed rate of US$3.45 per dose totalling US$3,450,000,000.00 which translates to 1.311 billion Naira

“The chairman of BUA also requested through the CBN governor that the Naira equivalent be paid to the relevant account with CBN, and the CBN forward the dollar payment to Afrexim on CACOVID behalf.

“This payment was made immediately after the meeting and BUA transferred the money to the CBN (see payment confirmation attached) in order to meet the deadline. However, with this development by the CACOVID operations committee, we now have just to believe that some members of CACOVID were not that BUA took this initiative in the interest of Nigeria and to ensure that the deadline was met to receive the 1 million doses of the vaccine next week.”

Expressing that its action was in good faith, as it has done in the past since the battle to flatten the COVID-19 curve took off in Nigeria, BUA accused a ‘prominent member of CACOVID of not being happy that it took such gigantic initiative and step ‘to pay for the vaccines’ .

The group dismissed CACOVID’s release as ‘petty and unbecoming of seemingly corporate citizens because it is tantamount to playing politics with the lives of Nigerians’.

The group reiterated its desire to ‘stand ready to keep supporting’, adding that despite the campaign against it, ‘will let the money paid remain in the CACOVID Account with the CBN pending when they are ready to utilise the funds for Nigerians to access the vaccines’

In BUA’s submission, ‘This is no time to play politics. It is time for us to come together to help Nigerians, and it does not matter who is helping or paying’.

See a copy of Bua’s statement and evidence of payment:

BUA REPLIES CACOVID- DONT PLAY POLITICS WITH NIGERIAN LIVES

Headline

Corruption Allegations: NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Meets Tinubu, Resigns

Published

3 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Eric

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu amid corruption allegations.

Tinubu, on Wednesday, summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

Also caught in the web of resignation was the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, according to a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Tinubu was said to have nominated successors to the senate for approval.

“Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” the statement reads.

“The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

“Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.”

Onanuga said the two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.

Headline

Alleged Corrupt Practices: Dangote Petitions ICPC Against NMDPRA MD Farouk

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Eric

Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has formally submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Ahmed Farouk, over alleged corruption and financial impropriety.

The petition, dated December 16, 2025, was submitted through Dangote’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, and received at the office of the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN.

In the petition, Dangote called for the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the NMDPRA boss, alleging that Farouk has been living far above his legitimate means as a public servant.

Dangote specifically accused Ahmed Farouk of allegedly spending over seven million United States dollars on the education of his four children in Switzerland, paid upfront for a six-year period, without any lawful explanation for the source of the funds.

According to the petition, the four children and their respective schools in Switzerland were clearly identified, along with the amounts paid on their behalf, to enable the ICPC verify the allegations.

The industrialist further alleged that Farouk Ahmed had been using his position at the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, actions which he claimed had recently triggered public protests and widespread criticism of the agency.

Dangote maintained that Ahmed Farouk has spent his adult life working in Nigeria’s public sector, adding that his cumulative earnings over the years could not reasonably account for the alleged seven million dollars reportedly spent on the overseas education of his children.

“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement constitute gross acts of corruption, for which your Commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” the petition stated.

It further noted that under the same section of the ICPC Act, any person found guilty of such offences is liable to imprisonment for a term of five years without an option of fine.

Dangote urged the commission to act decisively, stressing that the ICPC, alongside other anti-graft agencies, is strategically positioned to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences.

“In view of the foregoing, we call on the Commission under your leadership to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting,” the petition added.

The Dangote Group Chairman also expressed confidence that the matter, being in the public domain, would not be ignored, urging the ICPC to act in the interest of justice and to protect the image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Dangote further pledged his readiness to provide additional evidence to substantiate his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and impunity against the NMDPRA Managing Director.

Headline

Tinubu Didn’t Win 2023 Election, Will Lose in 2027 – Abaribe

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Eric

The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has predicted that it would be impossible for President Bola Tinubu to win second termn in the 2027 presidential election.

Abaribe, who claimed that the President never won the 2023 election, said the level of hardship Nigerians are currently facing has made them more determined to ensure that Tinubu does not return as president after 2027.

Reacting to suggestions that Tinubu has never lost an election, Abaribe, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, said, “I do not think so. Everybody loses elections, and you will see when the time comes. He will lose in 2027 because I know what Nigerians are feeling outside.”

He added: “Tinubu never won the 2023 election, and everybody knows it. But we said fine, he has been declared the winner, no problem. We acknowledge him as president, but we are going to meet him in the field, and I will see how he is going to cobble together what will make him win again.

“It won’t work, because this time everybody will be ready. It will no longer be an announcement at 3am before people wake up in the morning. This time, people are ready; we are ready, and the masses are even more ready.”

The senator, who said the economy has collapsed under Tinubu and that the president has yet to solve the problem of insecurity, wondered where he would get the votes to win in 2027.

On the defection of some opposition leaders to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abaribe vowed never to join the wave, saying he would be the last person to do so.

He said that rather than strengthening the APC as a party, the defections would deepen internal divisions and fuel leadership tussles.

“If there is anybody who is going to defect to the APC, I think I should be the very, very last one. By the time I defect, it would mean there are no parties left in Nigeria, including the APC,” he said.

“I have a very simple theory about defections. I think it is very good for us in the opposition that these defections are happening. All the APC is doing is absorbing all the problems it is going to face; they are right inside the party now. Ask yourself, in all the states where there are defections, what is going on there now?”

The lawmaker described the APC as a giant with feet of clay, saying the opposition would target its weak points during the election, leading to its collapse.

Abaribe, who reaffirmed his membership of the opposition coalition, said there is a consensus among opposition leaders to unite in order to dislodge the APC from power.

The coalition has adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the platform for the 2027 elections, but many have claimed the move is a strategy to enthrone Atiku Abubakar and compel all opposition members to support him.

However, Abaribe disagreed, saying the party has yet to release its guidelines and other arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections.