Osinbajo didn’t collect N4bn from Magu, it’s campaign of calumny — Laolu Akande

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

The office of Nigeria’s Vice President, has denied media reports claiming Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received N4 billion from the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu.

The reports attributed to Jackson Ude, a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, had claimed that Magu told the presidential panel probing him that he gave Osinbajo N4 billion after the vice president asked him to release part of the recovered loot.

But the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, responding in a statement, on Wednesdsy, said the reports published by two online platforms is untrue

He dismissed it as false and baseless fabrications claiming to reflect goings-on at the probe panel investigating Ibrahim Magu.

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Akande said, “The Vice President will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny.”

He wrote, “With all emphasis at our disposal, let it be firmly stated that these are totally false and baseless fabrications purporting to reflect goings-on at the probe panel investigating Mr Ibrahim Magu. They are indeed completely absurd in every respect.

“Sadly, such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.”

He said the same Jackson Ude had also been circulating a video on YouTube with a female commentator, peddling the same lies.

Akande said that the online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, had been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.

Magu, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being probed by a Presidential Investigation Committee over alleged malpractices and abuse of office.