The chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, says he has instructed his lawyers to file a libel suit against those who peddled bribery allegation against him.
During a recent radio programme on Berekete Family Radio 101.1FM, Abuja, one Bako Kyari, who identified himself as a nephew to the chief of staff, said Kyari and one Sani Ado, whom he claimed worked with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), collected N29.9 million from him in order to facilitate the award of a contract.
However, in an email interview with TheCable, the chief of staff said there is no truth in the “malicious story”.
“I have instructed my lawyers to take legal action against all those who have peddled this falsehood,” he told TheCable.
He also said no amount of mud “will stick or stain my integrity”.
“There is no iota of truth whatsoever even in dreamland in this malicious story. We cannot allow reasoned and reasonable debate to be hijacked by the frenzied fantasies of a cynical and dishonest minority,” he said.
“A lie becomes no less of a lie simply by repetition.”
He insinuated that there was campaign of calumny against him.
“I will continue to ensure that business-as-usual is unsustainable, ask questions and question answers – in the interest of our country, above any other consideration,” he said.
His accuser said he had written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but the commission refused to treat it, insisting that it could not investigate the president’s aide.
Bako, who is from Bama, Borno state, told Berekete Family that when he lost his father, Kyari came to commiserate with the family and then promised him the contract.
He said on getting to Abuja, he met with Kyari at Caledonia Hotel, Maitama, four times.
Bako alleged that Kyari asked him to pay Ado some money to facilitate the award of the contract.
He said he approached a friend who lent him some money, adding that he also sold his property in order to raise the N29.9 million which he allegedly used in facilitating the contract.