The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Saturday ignored threat by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, to sue the “psychopath and coward” behind its Twitter account over allegations that he was trading in foreign exchange.
A series of tweets by the opposition party alleged that the former president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) got $800,000 at N185 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the instructions of its Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and sold it at N350 on the same day.
FLASH: Garba Shehu got $800,000 forex at N185 from CBN on the instructions of Emefiele, CBN governor and sold at N350 on the same day.
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
Using the hashtag #CorruptionAndBuhari, the party also accused First Lady, Aisha Buhari; Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, and Chief of Staff to the President, Aba Kyari, of receiving $22million, $6million and $400,000 respectively and selling them at black market rates.
A Bureau De Change company linked with General Danbazzau got $6m forex from CBN at N185 and sold at N362. #CorruptionAndBuhari
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
First Lady Aisha Buhari got $22m forex from CBN on the instructions of Emefiele and the company sold at N362 same day. #CorruptionAndBuhari
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
Abba Kyari also got $400,000 at N185 and sold for N340.
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
Denying the allegations, Shehu said he has had only two FOREX purchases since coming into government “amounting to Eight Thousand Dollars (USD 8,000) sent to my daughter and nephews through UBA”.
After pointing out that he is not a FOREX dealer and that he will resign as presidential spokesman if he chooses to start trading in foreign exchange, he added: “If I know the coward and psychopath behind the official @PDPNigeria handle, I will launch a defamation suit against him/her. And I will claim money in millions as damages!”
1. It is a lie by @PDPNigeria to say I bought USD worth 800,000 from the CBN. I had only two FOREX purchases since coming into government.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016
2. Amounting to Eight Thousand Dollars (USD 8,000) sent to my daughter and nephews through UBA. This is verifiable.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016
3. I’m not a FOREX trader. The day I choose to start trading in FOREX I will resign as a Presidential spokesman.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016
4. If I know the coward and psychopath behind the official @PDPNigeria handle, I will launch a defamation suit against him/her.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016
5. And I will claim money in millions as damages!
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016
Undeterred, the PDP, now under the leadership of former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, added that Shehu also got a choice land allocation from the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello.
FLASH: Garba Shehu has also gotten a choice land allocation from the Minister of FCT. #CorruptionAndBuhari
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
It also accused President Muhammadu Buhari of withdrawing $23m from the CBN for foreign travel expenses and estacode in seven months.
FLASH: In 7 months, president Buhari has withdrawn $23m forex from CBN for foreign travel expenses and estacode.
— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016
