In a statement on his behalf by his spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan described the claim by Lamido as “grossly irresponsible”…
President Goodluck Jonathan has described the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, as a blackmailer and peddler of falsehood.
Jonathan, who was reacting to a statement credited to Lamido in a radio interview that he reported a serving minister to the President for collecting a $250 million bribe, said there was no iota of truth in the claim.
He said the governor never mentioned anything like that to him.
He said the claim by Lamido was self-seeking and a means of blackmail.
In a statement on his behalf by his spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan described the claim by Lamido as “grossly irresponsible”.
The statement said: “We have noted with much regret, the grossly irresponsible, false and mischievous claim by the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido that President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to act on information that a serving minister recently collected a bribe of $250 million from an oil company.
“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.
“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.
“We 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.”
Jonathan then challenged Lamido to substantiate his claim by giving the name of the minister involved in the bribe deal and also evidence to support his allegation.
He said: “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.
“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.”
The President said that what Lamido did was just to harass and blackmail him, adding: “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.”
Jonathan, who was reacting to a statement credited to Lamido in a radio interview that he reported a serving minister to the President for collecting a $250 million bribe, said there was no iota of truth in the claim.
He said the governor never mentioned anything like that to him.
He said the claim by Lamido was self-seeking and a means of blackmail.
In a statement on his behalf by his spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan described the claim by Lamido as “grossly irresponsible”.
The statement said: “We have noted with much regret, the grossly irresponsible, false and mischievous claim by the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido that President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to act on information that a serving minister recently collected a bribe of $250 million from an oil company.
“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.
“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.
“We 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.”
Jonathan then challenged Lamido to substantiate his claim by giving the name of the minister involved in the bribe deal and also evidence to support his allegation.
He said: “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.
“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.”
The President said that what Lamido did was just to harass and blackmail him, adding: “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.”
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