Presidency Denies Knowledge of $250m Bribe Collected By a Serving Minister
Featured, Latest Headlines, News, Sunday Fase Friday, November 15th, 2013
The African Examiner
The Presidency has denied any knowledge of bribe money allegedly collected by a serving minister describing the allegation as “much regret, grossly irresponsible, false and mischievous.”
Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido
Governor Lamido had alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan had refused to act on information that a serving minister recently collected a bribe of $250 million from an oil company.
However, in a statement issued by the Presidential Spokesman Dr Rueben Abati and made available to African Examiner, the presidency said Lamido was just peddling false rumours to promote his own “personal and sectional interests.”
Abati added that “the Presidency views the patently bogus allegation reportedly made by the Governor in a radio interview yesterday as an unacceptable and callous attempt to unjustly impugn the integrity of President Jonathan and cast aspersions on the seriousness of his Administration’s efforts to curb corruption.”
Continuing, “the allegation and the claim by Alhaji Lamido that he informed President Jonathan of the acceptance of the huge bribe by an unnamed minister is absolutely without any foundation in fact or reality because no such communication has ever taken place between them.”
He further stated that “presidency abhor Governor Lamido’s descent to the unscrupulous, reckless and thoughtless peddling of arrant falsehood in a puerile effort to score cheap political points against President Jonathan for personal and sectional political gains.”
According to him “If, as he claims, Alhaji Lamido has credible information about a minister receiving the said amount as bribe, he should publicly name the minister involved without delay and provide evidence to support his allegation.
As he hinted that “in the event that he is unable to do so, he should be prepared to offer an unreserved apology to the President and Nigerians for his unwarranted and unjust effort to denigrate, disparage and malign the President and the Federal Government.”
“While the Jonathan Presidency will continue to make corrupt public officials answerable for their actions, it will not succumb to harassment and blackmail by self-seeking politicians jostling for personal advantage.” He concluded.
-Sunday Fase
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“While the Jonathan Presidency will continue to make corrupt public officials answerable for their actions…….
When will that start?