The Presidency has described the allegation of corruption against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Mr Abba Kyari as “fiction”.
Punch newspaper had reported that the President’s right-hand man collected a 29 million naira bribe for the award of a contract.
The Presidency also said the supply of 15 Hilux vehicles for the Presidency reported by Punch, was an unlikely contract to have been awarded, as it did not exist anywhere in the 2016 and 2017 budgets.
In a statement released on Saturday night via its Twitter handle @NGRPresident, the Presidency said looking through the appropriation for 2016 and 2017, the request for the supply of 15 Hilux vehicles for the Presidency was not included, wondering how Kyari could have asked for money to award a contract that did not exist anywhere at all.
The Presidency noted that Punch was notified of the various falsehoods contained in the allegations but still went ahead to publish the “weak accusations”, noting that the newspaper should be prepared to face Kyari in court.
The statement reads in full: “The Presidency takes strong offence to the improbable and outlandish publication by @MobilePunch Newspaper today (Saturday) in a dig at presidential aide Abba Kyari who was alleged to have collected a 29 million naira bribe for the award of a contract.
“We wish to state with full authority that the allegation is false and the Chief of Staff did not have any private meetings with the person making those allegations.
“What is even more surprising is the decision by the newspaper to run the cooked-up lies despite obvious loopholes in the story, such as the Bureau of Public Procurement’s denial that a major source for the story was a member of their staff.
“With a slew of crucial elections ahead, some politicians and their media agents appear to be working together to build pressure on the Buhari administration by wielding non-existent scandals against it.
“We equally note that the supply of 15 Hilux vehicles for the Presidency was an unlikely contract to have been awarded, as it did not exist anywhere in the 2016 and 2017 budgets.
“Looking through the Appropriation for 2016 and 2017, the request for the supply of 15 Hilux vehicles for the Presidency is not included. How then could COS Abba Kyari have asked for money to award a contract that did not exist anywhere at all?
“Once again, we wish to caution against the media’s haste to publish unverified accusations against government officials simply for the sensationalism value, without journalists doing the due diligence required of them by their profession.
“The Punch was notified of the various falsehoods contained in the allegations but still went ahead to publish the weak accusations. They should be prepared to face Abba Kyari in court,” the statement added.
I will right away clutch your rss feed as I can’t
to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service.
Do you’ve any? Please allow me realize so that I may subscribe.
Thanks.
I’m not positive the place you’re getting
your information, however good topic. I needs to spend some
time studying much more or working out more. Thank you for excellent information I used
to be searching for this info for my mission. plenty
of fish natalielise
I will right away grasp your rss as I can’t in finding your email
subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any?
Please let me know so that I may just subscribe.
Thanks.
Hi there to every single one, it’s really a nice for me to visit this site, it
consists of valuable Information.
Thank you ever so for you article. Fantastic.
No matter if some one searches for his required thing, thus he/she needs to
be available that in detail, therefore that thing is maintained over here.
You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the article you
write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers such as you
who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after your heart.
Can I simply just say what a comfort to discover an individual who genuinely knows what they are discussing online. You certainly realize how to bring an issue to light and make it important. A lot more people must look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised you aren’t more popular given that you certainly possess the gift.