COVID-19 palliative: Mention corrupt politicians or keep quiet - Presidency replies Ndume
- The presidency has replied Senator Ali Ndume after he alleged that the palliative distribution exercise is fraudulent
- The Borno state senator had called for the dissolution of the presidential committee on the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives
- Shehu urged the senator to mention names of "kleptocrats" around the president or keep quiet
The presidency has responded to Senator Ali Ndume's allegations against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, especially the distribution exercise of the COVID-19 palliative by the presidential committee.
Recall that Ndume had alleged that the distribution of the palliatives is fraudulent and most of those benefitting from the palliatives do not deserve them.
Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, in a statement on Friday, April 17, criticized the senator for making such allegations without proof.
The presidential spokesperson expressed disappointment at the senator's attack on the federal government’s efforts at this critical time when the country is battling coronavirus.
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Shehu pointed out that Ndume should not make such accusations, without evidence. He urged him to publish the identities of the alleged corrupt politicians surrounding the president.
The statement reads: "It is therefore disappointing to hear a politician call out unnamed individuals in the administration and accuse them of unnamed transgressions. If this politician has evidence - then he should make public their identities as well as his proof. Innuendo is not proof.
Similarly, simply claiming that the COVID-19 Palliative Measures Committee is not functioning as it should is not the same as presenting proof for such a claim. No one replaces an institutional government body in the midst of the global pandemic without clear and irrefutable evidence that it needs replacing.
A press briefing from a discontented politician is rarely the source of such evidence. At this difficult time of the battle by Nigeria against Coronavirus, everyone should help the fight and not seek to make political capital out of it, whatever his or her grievances."
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Earlier, Legit.ng had reported that the chairman Senate committee on the army called for the disbandment of the presidential committee on the distribution of COVID-19 palliative.
Ndume, a former Senate leader, representing Borno South senatorial district, alleged that the distribution exercise is fraudulent.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator made the allegation while addressing journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on Tuesday, April 13.
In other news, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that officials of the APC-led federal government is using the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as a gateway for corrupt profiteering and looting of the nation's treasury.
The party made the allegation in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday, April 11 by its spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan.
The opposition party lamented that “allegations of diversion of billions of naira meant for palliatives to vulnerable citizens is already frustrating the commitment by Nigerians and other well-meaning groups in the overall effort to combat the spread of the scourge in our country.”
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Source: Legit.ng