Ndume:

The Presidency on Friday challenged Ali Ndume, the Senator representing Borno Southern senatorial district to come up with specific facts on his allegation that the federal government relief committee on COVID-19 headed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, is engaged in fraudulent activities.

The statement was issued in reaction to the Senator’s claim that President Muhammadu Buhari may lose his credibility because of many fraudulent persons around.

Ndume had also called for the disbandment of the COVID-19 Palliative Committee because it lacks lacks ‘credibility to manage the huge resources at its disposal.’

The Senator who spoke to journalists in Maduguri, Borno State on Wednesday said, “I’m not trying to make allegations against the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development; what I’m saying are facts. If they will continue with the way they are doing now, they had better not distribute the palliative at all because it’s a fraud.

“My concern now is the manner and ways the palliative measures taken by the president are being executed. We have received numerous complaints and it’s very unfortunate. Left to me, I’m calling for the so-called Humanitarian committee headed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to be disbanded immediately and the president should set up a task force to handle issues of palliatives.”

He also accused the Minister of favouritism in the distribution of palliatives and compilation of social register being used to determine Nigerians entitled to cash transfer payments.

But while reacting to the claims of the Senator in a statement on Friday, the Presidency said Ndume should mention the names of the ‘kleptocrats’ around the President or keep quiet in a statement signed by Shehu Garba, the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity.

The Presidency also challenged the Senator to come up with specific allegation against the  COVID-19 Palliative Measures Committee, instead of talking generally, saying it is “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,” the presidency said.

SENATOR ALI NDUME SHOULD FIGURE OUT HIS MENTIONED “KLEPTOCRATS” AROUND THE PRESIDENT OR BE QUIET

When he was first elected President in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari said that he belonged to everybody and belonged to nobody. What was true then remains true today.

He believes in public service, as a servant of the people – and he expects the exact same commitment from members of his government and, of course, his closest aides.

The President has made it clear times without number that anyone who will not, cannot, or does not pull his weight – nor meet these exacting standards – is not welcome in his administration. A number of ranking officials have been shown the way out at various times simply on account of this.

Similarly, he believes in loyalty and truthfulness. Should any individuals be found to be serving themselves and not the people, then it is right and proper to call them out. But this must be done on the basis of evidence and proof – not on conjecture.

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.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)