Tobias Sylvester
President Muhammadu Buhari has denied media reports that former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, transferred N12.5 million from the state government account to him when he was still the governor in 2016.
Peoples Gazette had published a bank document from the First Bank of Nigeria, showing how Amosun authorised the transfer of N12.5million from Ogun treasury to the personal account of President Buhari for yet-to-be-ascertained purpose in 2016.
Reacting to the allegation on Thursday, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the media reports as fake, noting that the money in question was transferred to the “PMB Estate.”
In a post shared on his social media page, Shehu explained that the ‘President Muhammadu Buhari Estate’ in Abeokuta belonged to Ogun government and was only named after the President.
“Fake news industry at work. A certain document showing the transfer of N12,500,000 from the coffers of Ogun State to a ‘PMB Estate’ is being circulated to tarnish the image of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The PMB Estate is owned by the Ogun State Government, which honoured the President by naming it after him. Of course, that does not confer the ownership of the estate on President Buhari.
“The gossipy online newspaper peddling the falsehood that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, the tried and tested anti-corruption fighter is the beneficiary of this cash transfer should be ignored,” he wrote.
This is coming weeks after Senate President, Ahmed Lawan denied collecting N2 billion to facilitate the confirmation of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu for a second term as INEC Chairman.
