The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Friday denied claims that he received a bribe from the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, on the appointment of an administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed the Executive Director of Finance and Administration in NDDC, Effiong Akwa, as the commission’s administrator on December 12, 2020.
Malami, who disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said the allegations were “marred by evincing contradictions, figment of imagination, sheer fabrications and filthy assumptions of mischief-makers and detractors.”
The statement read: “Any discerning mind who read the story will not fail to note the desperate attempt to cast aspersion on the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and dent his hard-earned reputation with unsubstantiated allegations spread by perfidious elements.
“The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), hereby makes an outright denial of the report in its entirety.
“The minister has not collected and does not intend at any time to receive any gratification from any dealing and discharging any function he is constitutionally empowered to perform.
“While calling on Nigerians to disregard the information, Malami, therefore, asked individuals who have any information, if any, regarding those who facilitated, accepted, deliver or take part in one way or the other in the alleged offer and purported acceptance of gratification for him or his office to come out publicly with the information with a view to exposing them and taking further necessary action.
“Malami stated further that gratification is a criminal offence. He, accordingly, encouraged the purveyors of the fictitious publication to approach relevant security and law enforcement agencies and proffer information that could lead to the criminal investigation and investigation against him if they feel strongly about their purported claim.”
