From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to ignore attempts by some faceless elements to smear the integrity of ministers and other senior government officials, over alleged corruption without any concrete evidence.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement described a report by an online medium as an orchestrated attempts to sully the integrity of ministers and other senior government officials in the Buhari Administration. He was reacting to reports that the immediate past Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who is also Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, was being investigated over crude oil swap deals and gas liftings during his tenure as GMD of the petroleum corporation.
An online medium had reported that President Buhari had ordered a probe into the current lists of crude oil takers, swap deals and liquefied natural gas lifting lists which were in operation under his regime as boss of NNPC.
Adesina in the statement said: “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 Presidential Spokesman quoted Buhari as saying, ”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.”
He said the President reiterated his administration’s commitment to probity, accountability and integrity, promising that transparency remains a watchword, which would never be trifled with.
Kachukwu who was sighted yesterday at the Presidential Villa was removed as the GMD of NNPC, and replaced with a former Executive Director, Exploration and Production, of the organisation, Maikanti Baru, on July.