Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, says he did not receive $300,000 or any monetary compensation from the Jonathan Presidency or any of its officials, in the aftermath of an attack on his convoy.
The President’s comment was contained in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina.
It was made in response to reports he had the money and five armoured SUVs from the Office of the National Security Adviser in the aftermath of the attack that occurred on July 23, 2014.
‘Prevailed Upon To Accept’
The statement read: “We unequivocally deny that President Buhari While it is true that one armoured SUV and one untreated SUV were sent to the President in the aftermath of the attack, the vehicles were in keeping with his entitlements as a former Head of State under the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999.
“Section 3, Sub Section 1 of that Decree provides that three vehicles will be provided for former heads of state and replaced every four years.
“There was therefore nothing untoward, illegal or tending to corruption in former Head of State Buhari and Presidential aspirant, as he then was, receiving vehicles, to which he was statutorily entitled , from the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
Mr Adesina pointed out that “President Buhari had in keeping with his austere, spartan and frugal disposition shunned most of his entitlements as a former Head of State, but was prevailed upon by his supporters to accept the two vehicles for his personal safety in the aftermath of the dastardly attempt to assassinate him”.
He said that it was preposterous to think that the President would allow his acclaimed reputation of honesty and incorruptibility to be tarnished by accepting a questionable monetary compensation from a discredited regime.