Nigerians have been urged by a Kaduna State All Progressives Congress, APC, Chieftain, Yusuf Ali to disregard a Facebook post by one Farooq Kperogi, claiming that Ministerial Nominees have to pay bribe of N2.5 billion each to some Presidency officials to secure their nominations.
The APC Chieftain made the call in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja
He said: “The recent post on Facebook by one Farooq Kperogi alleging that the whopping sum of N2.5 billion was paid out by some of the nominees to grease the palms of some Presidency officials before securing the nomination is patently false.
“I believe strongly that such bribery only existed in the warped imagination of Kperogi who has made it his past time to throw all sorts of poisonous darts at the President Muhammadu Buhari administration obviously for political reasons.
“I am urging all people of conscience to disregard the claim in its totality as there is no scintilla of truth in it. It’s all bunkum”.
Ali disclosed that the claim is deliberately aimed at casting aspersions on the Buhari’s administration, and urged Kperogi to provide proof of such a weighty allegation.
He said: “For making such a sweeping and categorical allegation, I would like to believe that Kperogi is armed with the proof to back up this allegation and his failure to provide the proof within 48 hours will result into a litigation.”
Ali pointed out that though Kperogi enjoys freedom of expression, as obtainable in a liberal democracy, such freedom must be exercised with a high sense of responsibility in order not to injure the reputation of others.
He said: “Of course Kperogi enjoys the liberty to speak freely in a liberal democracy as guaranteed by the constitution but definitely he is not allowed to slander or defame people for political gains”.
