President Muhammadu
Buhari has decried the “blackmail” of some senior officials of his government.
In a statement by Femi
Adesina, presidential spokesman, on Tuesday, Buhari “appealled to
discerning Nigerians to ignore orchestrated attempts to sully the integrity of
ministers and other senior government officials, who are being tarred with the
brush of corruption without any concrete evidence”.
According to Adesina, the
president was “reacting to reports, particularly by online media, that the
immediate past group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), who is also minister of state for petroleum, Dr Ibe
Kachikwu, is being investigated over crude oil swap deals and gas lifting
during his tenure as GMD of the petroleum corporation”.
Buhari appealed for
decent and civilised comments, particularly when it has to do with the
integrity of those serving the country.
“Terrible and unfounded
comments about other people’s integrity are not good. We are not going to spare
anybody who soils his hands, but people should please wait till such
individuals are indicted,” the president said.
Buhari reiterated his
administration’s commitment to probity, accountability and integrity, promising
that transparency remains a watchword, which would never be trifled with.
The president has been
accused of shielding Abdulrahman Dambazau, former minister of interior and
former chief of army staff between 2008 and 2010, who was not indicted in the
probe of arms procurement in the armed forces between 2007 and 2015.
Buhari,
however, ordered the investigation of two former army chiefs
— Azubuike Ihejirika and Kenneth Minimah — for alleged procurement fraud.
-Thecable
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