After investigation, CSO urges public to disregard allegations against agency CEO

A company, Donington Nigeria Limited had accused Ahmad of a conflict of interest with his directorship of Velocity Logistics and Marine Limited, which violates the code of conduct for public office holders in the country.

The company also accused Ahmad of awarding a contract to the organization where he is a director and with substantial interest.

It was also alleged that Ahmad didn’t resign his directorship of the organization upon appointment as the CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency as provided by the law.

However, in a bid to establish the correctness or otherwise of the allegations, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency launched an investigation to look holistically into the allegations.

In a statement signed by Ikpa Isaac, the centre’s Executive Secretary, the organisation said its investigation revealed that the allegations were baseless, adding that Ahmad was not listed as a director of the organization.

The statement reads in part, “Findings also revealed that the directorship of Ahmed Salhijo had been replaced as far back as April 2019, eight months before his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency in December 2019.

“From documents and records at the CCB and the Rural Electrification Agency, there was no evidence suggesting that the REA CEO influenced contracts in favour of Velocity Logistics and Marine Limited.

“The promoters of Donnington Nigeria Limited could not substantiate their argument beyond the petition written to the Code of Conduct Bureau, which smacks a mockery of the process and indicates either mischief or a slander campaign against the CEO of the REA”.

The organisation alleged that Donnington Nigerian Limited “had been in the habit of confrontation and blackmail when contracts bidding for were not successful”

“For example, the organization had taken the Federal Government to court over implementing the Advanced Cargo Declaration/Cargo Tracking Note Regime. It alleged that the Federal Ministry of Transportation was trying to introduce another organization to implement the scheme.

“It was also discovered that the promoter of Donnigton Nigeria Limited, Mr Mohammed Sani, must have been behind the numerous slander campaign against the CEO of the REA after the failure to bid and get contracts at the Rural Electrification Agency successfully”.

The organisation concluded that the allegations against Ahmad could not be substantiated and that the claim that he didn’t relinquish his position in Velocity Logistics and Marine Limited was inaccurate.

According to the organisation, “it could not also be established that Velocity Logistics and Marine Limited had benefited undue and unmerited patronage from the Rural Electrification Agency as all contracts in the magnitude claimed by Donnigton Nigeria Limited are subjected to inputs and approval from the Bureau of Procurement and other stipulated processes”.

The statement affirmed that Ahmad is innocent and has not committed any infraction in discharging his duties.

The organisation, therefore, advised REA’s CEO to commence legal proceedings against Donnington Nigeria Limited for defamation of character.