The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CCSO), comprising more than 17 registered advocacy groups across Nigeria, has formally withdrawn allegations of corruption earlier levelled against the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, and his Chief of Staff, Olanrewaju Obasa.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the coalition also issued an unreserved public apology to the officials, the management of the BPP, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and the Federal Government for what it described as “false, baseless, and deliberately fabricated claims.”

The statement was jointly signed by representatives of all 17 member organisations, including Ibrahim Bello (CFTPI), Hajiya Fatima Sani (CWGG), Barr. Chukwudi Eze (ADVI), Dr. Ngozi Okeke (NCACW), and others.

The allegations, which included financial impropriety, abuse of office, and the monetization of Certificates of No Objection, had prompted some member-groups within the organization to announce a national rally scheduled for December 5 at the BPP headquarters and the National Assembly.

However, following an emergency meeting of all 17 member organisations, the coalition said it conducted a thorough review of official records and examined evidence provided by the Bureau. The CCSO leadership said findings showed clearly that none of the allegations was true.

“We have reached a unanimous resolution that the allegations are entirely false, baseless, and deliberately fabricated by interests opposed to the far-reaching reforms currently underway at the BPP,” the coalition declared.

The coalition urged media organisations, online platforms, and individuals who amplified the earlier claims to similarly retract their reports and correct the misinformation.

In a major reversal, the CCSO passed a unanimous vote of confidence in Dr. Adedokun, praising him for what it called “historic achievements” in strengthening public procurement processes.

It listed the reforms to include: blocking financial leakages through stricter due process enforcement; establishment of the Price Intelligence Unit, Procurement Surveillance & Audit Unit, and Monitoring & Evaluation Unit; advancement of the Nigeria First Policy and Affirmative Procurement; boosting inclusion of women, youth, and SMEs in federal contracting, among others.

The coalition commended the BPP leadership for demonstrating transparency and openness during the clarification process, even as it announced the cancellation of the planned December 5 protest, directing all state chapters, zonal coordinators, and partner networks to stand down immediately.