Retract your story on Halliburton scandal or face legal action- Aisha Buhari tells Fayose
Fri Jun 24, 2016 07:52:am Politics
3.1K By Buchi Obichie
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has been given a 5-day ultimatum by the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, in which to retract his claim that Mrs. Buhari offered bribe to convicted U.S lawmaker, Williams Jefferson, over the Halliburton scandal, or face legal action.
In a warning letter sent to the Governor via courier on Wednesday, Mrs. Buhari's legal representatives said: "Our client has referred to us a statement made by you and published on the 20th of June, 2016 (and other subsequent days) concerning and pertaining to her person for necessary action.
"The said statement, which was caused by you and your agents and widely circulated and published in various media platforms: print, electronic and online such as Premium Times of June 20, 2016, contains very wild, unfounded and false allegations and imputations against the person of our client.
"Specifically, in the said statement credited to you and signed by your Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, you, inter alia, stated as follows:
'Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President's wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson.
'Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialise the judgement for people to see and read.
"Take note that unless you and your agents meet our humble demands within five working days of the receipt of this letter, we shall take all necessary steps within the contemplation of the law to seek redress for our client."
Ismaila Alasa and Mary Ekpene signed the letter on behalf of the law firm representing Mrs Buhari.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, could not immediately confirm or deny if Mary Ekpere & Co. is, indeed, the solicitors to Mrs. Buhari.
Mr. Fayose had on Monday evening distributed a statement which contained excerpts of court documents sourced from the United States Department of Justice website.
In the statement, Mr. Fayose said Mrs. Buhari was an accomplice in the bribery scandal that landed Mr. Jefferson in jail, saying he added the link as a proof.
Although an Aisha Buhari was mentioned in the case files, those who investigated the matter have, however, said that the said Aisha Buhari was an impostor and not the wife of the President.
Two former chairmen of Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, have come out within the past two days to say Mrs. Buhari had no connection with the Jefferson bribery scandal.
Ibrahim Lamorde, the immediate past chairman of the EFCC, and Nuhu Ribadu, the agency's pioneer chief, in separate interviews with Premium Times, said they carried out extensive investigation into the case during their respective tenures and established that the woman named in the scandal was an impostor of the president's wife.
The President himself has previously stated, categorically, that he had no connection with the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the Jefferson scandal.
In a warning letter sent to the Governor via courier on Wednesday, Mrs. Buhari's legal representatives said: "Our client has referred to us a statement made by you and published on the 20th of June, 2016 (and other subsequent days) concerning and pertaining to her person for necessary action.
"The said statement, which was caused by you and your agents and widely circulated and published in various media platforms: print, electronic and online such as Premium Times of June 20, 2016, contains very wild, unfounded and false allegations and imputations against the person of our client.
"Specifically, in the said statement credited to you and signed by your Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, you, inter alia, stated as follows:
'Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President's wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson.
'Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialise the judgement for people to see and read.
"Take note that unless you and your agents meet our humble demands within five working days of the receipt of this letter, we shall take all necessary steps within the contemplation of the law to seek redress for our client."
Ismaila Alasa and Mary Ekpene signed the letter on behalf of the law firm representing Mrs Buhari.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, could not immediately confirm or deny if Mary Ekpere & Co. is, indeed, the solicitors to Mrs. Buhari.
Mr. Fayose had on Monday evening distributed a statement which contained excerpts of court documents sourced from the United States Department of Justice website.
In the statement, Mr. Fayose said Mrs. Buhari was an accomplice in the bribery scandal that landed Mr. Jefferson in jail, saying he added the link as a proof.
Although an Aisha Buhari was mentioned in the case files, those who investigated the matter have, however, said that the said Aisha Buhari was an impostor and not the wife of the President.
Two former chairmen of Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, have come out within the past two days to say Mrs. Buhari had no connection with the Jefferson bribery scandal.
Ibrahim Lamorde, the immediate past chairman of the EFCC, and Nuhu Ribadu, the agency's pioneer chief, in separate interviews with Premium Times, said they carried out extensive investigation into the case during their respective tenures and established that the woman named in the scandal was an impostor of the president's wife.
The President himself has previously stated, categorically, that he had no connection with the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the Jefferson scandal.
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