I Did Not Collect N2 Billion To Facilitate Confirmation Of Yakubu As INEC Chairman — Senate President, Lawan

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has denied allegation of receiving
N2billion to facilitate confirmation of the nominated chairman of
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor
Mahmood Yakubu.

Lawan described the allegation as spurious existing only in the
minds of the purveyors of the fake news.

The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser
(Media), Ola Awoniyi, said: “The attention of the Office of the
Senate President has been drawn to a report by SaharaReporters
alleging that a group led by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan,
collected N2billion from Professor Mahmood Yakubu to facilitate the
confirmation of his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari to a
fresh five-year tenure as chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).

“It is noteworthy that the publication, as always with its
ridiculous fabricated reports, could not even expand the
entertainment of its readers by providing the names of members of
the fictitious group and where the group operates from.

“To be sure, that group exists only in the mischievous
imagination of the writer of the fiction.

“We, therefore, wish to enjoin Nigerians to ignore the report as
yet another incident of hallucination by the comical characters
operating the fabricated news platform. The online medium has long
earned its notoriety as a purveyor of fake news with high profile
public officials as its targets.

“It is well known that only the President can nominate a
candidate for appointment or reappointment as Chairman of INEC. And
only the Senate as a body can confirm or reject the appointment,
after due screening of the candidate. The parliamentary process for
the confirmation of nominations by the President is open and
involves all distinguished senators.

“The Senate President is only a presiding officer of the Senate
and does not lead any group in or outside the august chamber that
acts in any way to circumvent the processes of the Senate. We
reassure Nigerians that the Senate President did not receive any
gratification, in his or behalf of others, to help Professor Yakubu
get a second term as chairman of INEC.

“We challenge SaharaReporters and the sponsors of the false
publication to provide whatever evidence that they can in support
of their glib claims, failing which Nigerians should dismiss the
report as another cheap blackmail from a platform that has no
reputation for credible reportage and ethical journalism
practise.”

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has denied allegation of receiving
N2billion to facilitate confirmation of the nominated chairman of
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor
Mahmood Yakubu.

Lawan described the allegation as spurious existing only in the
minds of the purveyors of the fake news.

The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser
(Media), Ola Awoniyi, said: “The attention of the Office of the
Senate President has been drawn to a report by SaharaReporters
alleging that a group led by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan,
collected N2billion from Professor Mahmood Yakubu to facilitate the
confirmation of his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari to a
fresh five-year tenure as chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).

“It is noteworthy that the publication, as always with its
ridiculous fabricated reports, could not even expand the
entertainment of its readers by providing the names of members of
the fictitious group and where the group operates from.

“To be sure, that group exists only in the mischievous
imagination of the writer of the fiction.

“We, therefore, wish to enjoin Nigerians to ignore the report as
yet another incident of hallucination by the comical characters
operating the fabricated news platform. The online medium has long
earned its notoriety as a purveyor of fake news with high profile
public officials as its targets.

“It is well known that only the President can nominate a
candidate for appointment or reappointment as Chairman of INEC. And
only the Senate as a body can confirm or reject the appointment,
after due screening of the candidate. The parliamentary process for
the confirmation of nominations by the President is open and
involves all distinguished senators.

“The Senate President is only a presiding officer of the Senate
and does not lead any group in or outside the august chamber that
acts in any way to circumvent the processes of the Senate. We
reassure Nigerians that the Senate President did not receive any
gratification, in his or behalf of others, to help Professor Yakubu
get a second term as chairman of INEC.

“We challenge SaharaReporters and the sponsors of the false
publication to provide whatever evidence that they can in support
of their glib claims, failing which Nigerians should dismiss the
report as another cheap blackmail from a platform that has no
reputation for credible reportage and ethical journalism
practise.”