Barr. Ismael Ahmed, former All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader, is poised to take over the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative.
However, as of press time, there is no official confirmation or credible report validating the rumor.
The claim, which has circulated on social media in recent days, suggests that Ahmed may soon replace the current Programme Director and CEO of the Presidential CNG Initiative, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi.
But extensive checks by this reporter show that no formal announcement has been made by the presidency, the initiative’s official website, or any recognised government communication channel.
The Presidential CNG Initiative, launched by President Bola Tinubu as part of his post-subsidy palliative strategy, is tasked with transitioning Nigeria’s transport sector from petrol to cleaner, more affordable CNG-powered systems.
Since its inception, the initiative has recorded notable milestones, including the delivery of CNG-powered buses to the Nigerian Army and the establishment of conversion centres in various parts of the country.
Engr. Oluwagbemi, an energy expert and innovation advocate, has led the programme since its formal rollout.
He currently heads the steering committee that oversees the initiative’s implementation and expansion across states.
Ismael Ahmed, though a notable figure in the ruling APC and former senior special assistant to the president on youth and student affairs, has not publicly addressed the reports linking him to a new leadership role in the programme.
Efforts to reach his media aides for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Ahmed is, however, said to have been positioned by Tinubu’s administration to take over the role due to his extensive network and influence, especially among younger members of the ruling party.
“The rumours are true. The move is part of ongoing realignments in public sector appointments and the need to bring in people with valuable political influence ahead of the 2027 general election,” a source in the ruling APC told Politics Nigeria on Friday.
