'Buhari can't accept money from a discredited regime' - President's spokesman says

dimeji akinloye

December 15, 2015 9:37 PM

(This is in line with) the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999.

The Presidency has dismissed an online report that President Muhammadu Buhari received 300,000 dollars and five armoured SUVs from the Office of the National Security Adviser over the attack on his convoy in Kaduna in 2014.

This information is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

The statement said it was false and untrue to say Buhari received the said amount or any monetary compensation whatsoever from the Jonathan Presidency or any of its officials, in the aftermath of that attack, or at any other time since then.

"Our attention has been drawn to reports making the rounds, especially on internet-based media, that President Muhammadu Buhari received 300,000 dollars and up to five armoured SUVs from the Office of the National Security Adviser in the aftermath of the attack on his convoy in Kaduna last year.

"We unequivocally deny that President Buhari received 300,000 dollars or any monetary compensation whatsoever from the Jonathan Presidency or any of its officials, in the aftermath of that attack, or at any other time since then.

"It is true that one armoured SUV and one 'untreated’ SUV were sent to Buhari in the aftermath of the attack, the vehicles were in keeping with his entitlements as a former Head of State.

"Section 3, Sub Section 1 of that Decree provides that three vehicles will be provided for former heads of state and replaced every four years.

"There was, therefore, nothing untoward, illegal or tending to corruption in former Head of State Buhari and Presidential aspirant, as he then was, receiving vehicles, to which he was statutorily entitled, from the Federal Government of Nigeria.’’

READ: Buhari: 'I didn't receive any cash from Dasuki, only two SUVs'

According to the statement, Buhari had in keeping with his austere, spartan and frugal disposition, shunned most of his entitlements as a former Head of State.

It further stated that Buhari was, however, prevailed upon by his supporters to accept the two vehicles for his personal safety in the aftermath of the dastardly attempt to assassinate him.

"It is preposterous to think that Buhari will allow his acclaimed reputation of honesty and incorruptibility to be tarnished by accepting a questionable monetary compensation from a discredited regime’’, the statement concluded.

dimeji akinloye