President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of the CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, alongside three Executive Directors of the Agency, from office.
The other three suspended directors are Olaniyi Alaba Netufo, Executive Director of Corporate Services, Barka Sajou, Executive Director, Technical Services; and Sa’adatu Balgore, Executive Director, of Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said in a statement that the suspension was due to the new findings unearthed during an investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency.
According to Ngelale, the president has also ordered a “wider investigation” into the conduct of the aforementioned officials in a fraudulent expenditure of over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.
By the directive of President Tinubu, the following qualified Nigerians are appointed to serve in the new management team of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in an acting capacity with immediate effect:
They include: Abba Abubakar Aliyu – Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega — Executive Director of Corporate Services, Umar Abdullahi Umar — Executive Director of Technical Services, Doris Uboh — Executive Director, of Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Olufemi Akinyelure — Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project
The president expects all appointees in his administration to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties, Ngelale added.
