Senator Babafemi OjudThe Presidency has made it clear that one of the plans contrived at the recent meeting of the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his team, to launch media attacks on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not fly.
Presidential Aide on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, in a statement today, Wednesday, said that the recent NEMA probe report which social media account brought out as having been outlined at the Dubai meeting, is one of such efforts plotted to attack the Buhari administration by tarnishing the image of the Vice President.
He stressed that such desperate attempts to smear the person and reputation of the Vice President will not deter or distract him or the Buhari administration from the work of protecting and empowering every Nigerian.
“We have read reports in the media that the meeting in a foreign country of the major opposition party was centered on trying to attack the Buhari administration by targeting the Vice President using different tactics.
“It is now evident through the NEMA report, that the opposition is indeed making frantic efforts to tarnish the image of the Vice President.”
Senator Ojudu explained that even after Hon. Ali Isa, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness had publicly admitted that the Vice President was not mentioned in the report, the opposition still found it expedient to continue to attack the reputation of Professor Osinbajo by claiming without proof or any shred of evidence that fraud was committed in the N5.8 billion Emergency Food Intervention Fund for North-East.
The Presidential aide said that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, there were no violations in approval of N5.8 billion Emergency Food Intervention Fund for North-East and the then Acting President did no wrong in approving fund for the emergency intervention.
He insisted that the presidential approvals were well within the clear constitutional authority of the then Acting President.
“First of all, the action was in response to the threat of hunger and starvation based on strong warning received from the United Nation World Food Programme in April, 2017. The organization had issued a warning that it would be reducing its vital support to about 1.8 million IDPs by as much as 85%, due to the corresponding reduction in funding by the donor countries. Around the same time, the United Nations Commission for Refugees in Geneva also warned of the growing risk of mass deaths from starvation among people living in the conflict areas.
“Secondly, it is also important to note that the procurement process was not ignored in the release of funds, as alleged. Section 43 of the Public Procurement Act makes provision for emergency procurement, in which case the procuring entity is allowed to engage in direct contracting for goods and file a report thereafter with the Bureau of Public Procurement.
“Also, the BPP issued a ‘certificate of no objection’ to NEMA on the emergency procurement, and this addresses all issues relating to the alleged breach of due process.”
Senator Ojudu said that the action of the opposition in the ensuing political drama indicates that the NEMA probe report is being politicized and only a lame attempt at ruining the good works of the Buhari administration.”
