The President, who reacted to unnamed online medium which he said raised unfounded allegation against the minister of state for Petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu on the issue concerning the phony investigation over crude oil swap deals, made it clear that he is committed to probity, accountability and integrity but that such would be based on facts and figures.
“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.”
A statement by the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina quoted Buhari as promising that transparency remains his government’s watchword, which he said would never be trifled with.
The President appealed to discerning Nigerians to therefore, 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.
“President Buhari appealed for decent and civilized comments, particularly when it has to do with the integrity of those who are serving the country.”
The online media was said to have alleged that Kachikwu, who is the immediate past Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and currently the minister of State for Petroleum, is being investigated over crude oil swap deals and gas lifting during his tenure as GMD of the petroleum corporation. [myad]
