Figure out “kleptocrats” around the President or be quiet, Presidency tells Ali Ndume

The Presidency has asked Borno State Senator, Ali Ndume, to figure out those he referred as “kleptocrats” around President Muhammadu Buhari or he remains quiet.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, gave this warning in a statement he issued in Abuja on Saturday copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER.

Shehu reminded Ndume and those on the same page with him of President Buhari’s philosophical statement in his inauguration speech after he was first elected President in 2015, “he said that he belonged to everybody and belonged to nobody. What was true then remains true today.”

He made him realize that the President believes in public service, as a servant of the people – and that he expects the exact same commitment from members of his government and, of course, his closest aides.

The President, according to the presidential media aide, “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.”

The Kano State born journalism leader in defence of the President said: “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.”