Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday described a publication which accused him of being involved in “loads of dirty deals” within the commission as “malicious” threatening to take legal action if the publishers of the story do not apologize and retract same.
A national newspaper had alleged among others, that Jega hired personal aides and non-Nigerians whose salaries are being paid by foreign organisations and whose loyalty is not to their employer, INEC, or to their country, Nigeria but to the foreign agencies or countries.
They also accused Jega of being high-handed and having ulterior motives towards the 2015 general elections and embarking on “massive transfer” of staff he single handedly authorized.
But Jega, through his lawyer, Dikko and Mahmoud, solicitors and associates, asked the newspaper to unequivocally retract and apologize, “in wording acceptable to us, within 7 days of the receipt of this letter” or they would “proceed with appropriate legal action without further recourse to you”
According to a letter addressed to the editor-in-chief of the paper, Jega said the publication is intended to bring his person “into disrepute, expose him to public ridicule with the aim of portraying him as a corrupt, selfish person and also as an irresponsible, reckless and unpatriotic public official whose actions have undermined national security and the country’s democratic system”.
The letter continued in part, “these allegations are capable of and have indeed, diminished the reputation and standing of Professor Jega in the eyes of ordinary Nigerians. Professor Jega is a renowned scholar of international repute.
“He has been widely known and perceived as an epitome of integrity and incorruptibility.
No comments:
Post a Comment