COVID-19 Palliatives: Be quiet, Innuendo is not proof - Presidency reacts to Senator Ndume's allegation of fraud against federal aid committee

The Presidency has replied Senator Ali Ndume following his call for the immediate disbandment of the federal government relief committee on Coronavirus headed by Humanitarian minister, Sadiya Farouq on grounds of fraud.

Recall that the Borno lawmaker stated that the committee lacks the credibility to manage the huge resources at its disposal. He further averred that the President Buhari will be ”smearing what remains of his goodwill” if the committee is allowed to continue disbursing palliatives meant for the poorest of the poor Nigerians amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Reacting to Senator Ali Ndume’s allegation, the Presidency expressed disappointment in seeing a politician call out unnamed individuals in the administration and accuse them of unnamed transgressions.

The Presidency in a statement released by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity Garba Shehu, stated that no one replaces an institutional government body in the midst of the global pandemic without clear and irrefutable evidence that it needs replacing.

It also insisted that 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.

The statement reads in full;

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.