Aliyu Denies Sharing N1.6bn, Demands Apology From FG
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Loading ...The former governor of Niger state has distanced himself from โthe โFederal Government list of looters in which his name wasย mentionedย to have participated in โthe โ sharing of N1.6bn. He revealed that at the time the money was shared he was leader of the G-7, hence was skipped from the sharing arrangement.
Aliyu said his relationship with government at the centโreโ was frosty at the time, insisting the money was released to a former governor and female minister. He said the Economic andย Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) invited persons involved in the sharing of the said money. He added that those involved have confessed and agreed to refund in instalments, saying the matter was in the โpublic domain.
Aliyu whose observation was made through his Mediaย Adviser, Mr.ย Israelย A. Ebije in a statement has called on โthe โfederal governmentย to produce evidence to support claims that he collected the money. He observed that his good name has been dragged in theย mudย adding that he demands to be exonerated.
โMy attention has been drawn toย Federal Governmentย list where I was mentionedย to have received the sum of N1.6bn from the Office of National Securityย Adviserย (ONSA). Let me categorically state for the
records thatย I neverย received such amount from the Jonathan administration. As leader of the G-7 I was not considered loyal enough to be entrusted with the fund, which as we may all recall was meant for campaign.
I have never beenย mentionedย in any ONSAย disbursementย since 2015. I have no case with theย federal governmentย over the allegedย disbursement or any other. I have every reason to believe the looters list in which my name was included was drafted to tarnish me before right thinking Nigerians. I believe somebody somewhere is leveraging on the unfortunate case I have with the Niger state government to present a bogusย dragnetย of alleged looters.
Let me therefore urge theย federal governmentย to delist me immediately from the alleged โlist of โ looters. I demand that my name be cleared on this matter. I may consider other options as a citizen whose right as
guaranteed by the constitution of theย federal governmentย has been breached. I will not be used to serve interest of anybody or political party. I will not allow this matter to slide without justice.โ
Aliyu further urged theย federal governmentย to be balanced in naming and shaming alleged looters, adding thatย the listย is far from beingย exhaustive. He insisted thatย the listย is politicized and craftily deployed to score cheap political points. He said Nigerians await to see names of politicians working with the APC government who have benefitted from the said loot. He urged theย federal governmentย not to
disappoint them.
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Israelย A. Ebije
Mediaย Adviserย to Former Governor of Niger state, Dr. Muโazu Babangida Aliyu
