A State House release has dismissed reports in local media today which quoted President Goodluck Jonathan as “confirming” that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) wrongly withheld $10 Billion from the federation account as completely false.
The statement signed by the Special Assistant to President Jonathan on media, Mr. Reuben Abati, and dated Tuesday, March 25, 2014 classified the reports as a total distortion of the President’s comments during his meeting with the Nigerian community in the Netherlands.
‘At no time during the well-attended reception did President Jonathan also confirm any “irregularities” in the NNPC’, the report said.
After asserting that allegation that various sums – $49.8 Billion, $12 Billion or $20 Billion – were missing are inconsistent and lacked credence, the President’s exact words were as follows:
“As at the time, the Finance Ministry was saying they had not been able to reconcile only 10 billion dollars. There are issues in NNPC but we are on it.”
“President Jonathan went on to say that to reassure Nigerians of his administration’s continued commitment to openness, transparency and probity in the aftermath of the unsubstantiated allegations, the Federal Government had authorised a professional forensic audit of NNPC accounts to clear the air.”
“The Presidency deplores the mischievous and unethical distortion of his comments in the media today. Once again, we urge the media to show greater regard for truth and accuracy when reporting on the President.”
