The office of the Presidency has debunked rumours being circulated on social media platforms that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has set aside N3billion for the financing of members of the transitional committee supervising the handover to General Muhammadu Buhari, describing the reports as mere fiction.
According to the report, General Buhari was in the Presidential Villa in connection to the setting up of the committee when President Jonathan asked for the list of representatives from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the necessary remuneration.
The report, whose source is unknown further claims that General Buhari was shocked to find that President Jonathan’s list had a corresponding cost estimate of N3 billion for a job that would last for about 2 months.
President Jonathan was said to have asked why General Buhari’s list didn’t show cost, according to the report, “Buhari answered that his team was made up of volunteers and their feeding would be by individuals/self even if they have to bring in leftover food from their homes. No word has been heard from presidency since then.”
Reacting to the rumour, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati denied the claims, describing it as a product of pure mischief.
He said: “This is pure fiction and blackmail. No such meeting or conversation ever took place. Whoever wrote the copy obviously has never heard of being magnanimous in victory. A charlatan certainly”.
