Politics
‘They’re Mischievous, Totally Fabricated’, Shettima Refutes Access Denial Reports To Aso Rock
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has described as mischievous, reports making the rounds that he has been barred from entering the Presidential Villa.
Last Friday night, reports had emerged from an online platform that the the Vice President had been barred from the Villa by a detachment of security operatives and had been confined to his home until the President returns from his overseas trip.
But reacting to the development in a statement on Saturday, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President said, “In recent times, there has been deliberate and well-planned orchestration of falsehood against the Vice President’s person and office in many multidimensional forms.
“These mischievous and totally fabricated reports are all in a bid to cause confusion and insinuate total clash in the Presidency. These reports seek to mislead the public into believing there’s discord at the highest levels of government.”
Mr Nkwocha said, “The latest in this string of disinformation is a report claiming that the Vice President has been refused entry to the Villa. This is a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima. For the record, Nothing of the sort ever happened.
“The recent publication by some obscure blogs alleging that armed military units have barricaded the Vice President from accessing the Presidential Villa is not only the wildest expression of wishful thinking but a clear indication that the purveyors of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination. It is a story so far removed from reality that it can only be entertained by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government.”
He explained that earlier last week, the Presidency dismissed similar fake news regarding responsibility for the circulation of campaign posters bearing the images of President Bola Tinubu.
“These stories reflect a desperate attempt to undermine the President and his Deputy’s fidelity to the rule of law and our constitution. Let it be known that those pushing these falsehoods do so in vain.
“It is understandable, though regrettable, that the mischief-makers continue to underestimate the strength of the bond and goodwill between the President and the Vice President. However, their questionable sources or habitual reliance on misinformation have once again led them astray. These fairy tales they publish serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction.
“The Vice President remains focused on his duties and on supporting the President in achieving the aspirations of Nigerians. He does not have the luxury of time for distractions, particularly those born of the imagination of individuals intent on creating smoke where there is no fire. He’s not and will never partake in their media circus. It is a futile pursuit, even by the standards of the morally indifferent.
“We commend Nigerians across all divides who continue to express goodwill towards this administration and who have taken it upon themselves to fight the spread of fake news. Your trust and support are deeply appreciated. The covenant between this government and the citizens of Nigeria was made possible through a legitimate and constitutional process. No amount of falsehood or manufactured tension can shake the foundation of that democratic mandate. Not under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,”
The Presidency therefore encouraged the public to “disregard such malicious publications and the media to continue seeking information from credible sources and to approach sensational claims with the caution they deserve. This we owe ourselves collectively as a nation.”
This was announced in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Tersoo Kula, on Wednesday in Makurdi.
The House of Assembly had passed a resolution to suspend the SUBEB boss for six months, enabling it to investigate her activities at the board.
Others suspended include the Chairman, Otukpo Local Government Area, Mr Maxwell Ogiri, and the Executive Secretary of the lottery commission, Mr Michael Uper, for a month each.
Gov. Alia, however, reiterated his unwavering commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the principles of separation of powers.
The governor commended the House of Assembly for exercising its constitutional responsibilities and assured the people of the state of his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.
He urged all affected institutions to ensure seamless continuity of service delivery during the period of suspension of the officials.
The governor called on the people of the state to continue supporting the government’s efforts to build a state that works for all.
Mr Moghalu spoke on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Udoka Estate, Awka, describing the incident as “an embarrassing scandal and the height of irresponsibility.”
“I was very saddened over what I saw in the video. It was indeed a scandalous embarrassment, not only to Anambra or the state government, but to every responsible citizen of this state,” he said.
He condemned the brutality meted out to the corps member, adding, “Whatever offences she may have committed, there are better civil ways to handle it. The right thing was to arrest her and hand her over to the police, rather than tear her dress and dehumanise her.”
Mr Moghalu insisted that Udo-Ga-Chi members must be properly trained and indoctrinated before being constituted as a security outfit.
“You can’t kill those you are meant to protect. You don’t take guns and hand them to irresponsible people to terrorise citizens,” he stressed.
Highlighting previous complaints against the outfit, he said, “We have heard cases of people they’ve killed, maimed, or extorted. This is a case too many. The Federal Government must urgently scrutinise and regulate this group, and make an official statement on the matter.”
Expressing concern about the whereabouts of the assaulted corps member, Mr Moghalu added, “Where is the victim? The government must produce her and allow her to speak publicly about her ordeal. She was serving her country and deserves protection from both state and federal authorities.”
He further alleged that Udo-Ga-Chi has been politicised to influence elections, particularly in favour of the incumbent governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
“It is now evident that the outfit was created as a political tool, and their actions during the last Saturday election made that very clear,” Mr Moghalu said.
The proposed review by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) would see the President, Vice President, governors, and other top officials receive substantial pay increases.
The ADC said the proposal is coming at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with the effects of inflation, rising fuel costs, and an inadequate minimum wage, suggesting a pay rise for the Nigerian workers instead.
A statement by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, said, the constitutional mandate of the RMAFC is to review salaries of political office holders, but considering such at this time further underlines how far this government is disconnected from the reality of Nigerian people.
The statement said, “We are aware of the Commission’s constitutional mandate to periodically review relevant emoluments of political office holders in the country. However, proposing such a review at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with soaring food inflation, high cost of fuel, inadequate and largely unpaid minimum wage would indicate a total disregard for the people.”
The party questioned how the political office holders are able to support their lifestyle of luxury and opulence if indeed these “outdated” salaries means anything to them.
He said, “For perspective, our national minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month, a figure that has been largely eroded by the APC’s inflation, even where it has been paid. Yet, unlike public office holders, most Nigerians do not receive additional allowances or emoluments to cushion the effects of the rising costs of living.
“This is why this proposed plan to increase the salaries of public office holders is not only tone-deaf, it is an all-out affront to the Nigerian people. It signals that the government is clearly disconnected from the struggles of ordinary citizens.
“In light of these developments, the ADC demands that this absurd plan be suspended immediately. No such increase should be implemented while ordinary citizens are grappling with extreme financial hardship. Government should focus on improving the lives of the people rather than improving the salaries of the President and other political office holders who already live in obscene indulgence.
“Government has no moral right to demand sacrifice from ordinary citizens while they focus on making lives easier for themselves. Political office holders cannot be insulated from economic hardships, while the everyday Nigerian suffers.”