STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT JONATHAN NEVER CONFIRMED WITHHOLDING OF $10 BILLION FROM FEDERATION ACCOUNT
Reports
in some domestic media today which quoted President Goodluck Jonathan
as "confirming" in Amsterdam that the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) wrongly withheld $10 Billion from the federation
account are
completely false and a total distortion of the President's comments
during his meeting with the Nigerian community in the Netherlands.
Sensational
reports in the media to that effect are reckless, mischievous and
unprofessional misrepresentations of the President's restatement to the
Nigerian community of the Federal Government's position on the
allegation that $20 Billion is "missing" from the NNPC or the Federation
Account, by reporters who were not at the event or even in Holland at
all.
President
Jonathan's verifiable words while responding to questions from members
of the community on the allegation and other domestic issues were clear
and unambiguous.
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.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 26, 2014
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