By Olalekan Awojodu
Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has denied a bribery allegation rumour or any forms of gratification making the rounds in respect of an appointment of a Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In a statement made available to this medium on Friday, the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the AGF, Dr. Umaru Jubril Gwandu described the publication as the handiwork of mischief makers.
According to Gwandu, it was not true that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio offered the AGF gratification in respect of the said appointment.
The AGF has therefore called on Nigerians to disregard the rumour as fake news.
The statement partly reads: Our attention has been drawn to fictitious and malicious publications alleged by mischief makers claiming that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio offered AGF any gratification in respect of any appointment.
“It was a figment of imagination, sheer fabrications and filthy assumptions of detractors.
” The report, as any fake news, was marred by evincing contradictions, figment of imagination, sheer fabrications and filthy assumptions of mischief makers and detractors.
“Any discerning mind who read the story will not fail to note the desperate attempt to cast aspersion on the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and dent his hard earned reputation with unsubstantiated allegations spread by perfidious elements,”
While describing gratification as a criminal offence, Malami encouraged the purveyors of the fictitious publication to approach relevant security and law enforcement agencies and proffer information that could lead to investigation against him if they feel strongly about their purported claim.
The statement added: ” The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN hereby make an outright denial of the report in its entirety.
“The Minister has not collected and does not intend at any time to receive any gratification from any dealing and discharging any function he is constitutionally empowered to perform.
The statement stated further: ” Gratification is a criminal offence, and accordingly, and i therefore encouraged the purveyors of the fictitious publication to approach relevant security and law enforcement agencies and proffer information that could lead to the criminal investigation and investigation against me if they feel strongly about their purported claim.”
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