The Presidential Amnesty Office has denied a report alleging the involvement of the President’s wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari in the sack of staff members of the office.
Mr Murphy Ganagana, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Prof. Charles Dokubo, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, described the report as a “fairy tale’’ which was concocted out of mischief.
According to online report published by Pointblanknews, Mrs Buhari gave the coordinator of PAP a directive to sack the affected workers for allegedly leaking documents of an alleged contract scam.
Ganagana said the report further alleged that Dokubo had told some unnamed senior officials of the Amnesty Programme that he got a directive from Buhari to sack some staff members.
According to him, the Office of the President’s wife does not interfere in the affairs of PAP and has at no time requested or directed Prof. Dokubo to sack any staff member of the Amnesty Office.
Ganagana said that contrary to the report, no official of PAP was sacked for any reason whatsoever, and there was no contract scam at the Amnesty Office.
“The report on Pointblanknews is standing truth on its head; its claim that Prof. Dokubo was tongue-lashed by senior officials of the presidency who queried him over leaked deals is a wicked lie that could only emanate from the devil.
“Prof. Dokubo was neither invited nor queried by the presidency over leaked deals or documents and he did not get any directive to sack any staff member of the Amnesty Office.
“The latest missile fired at Prof. Dokubo and the Amnesty Programme by Pointblanknews is in reaction to a recent failed attempt which crumbled and missed its target following a lucid presentation of facts on the alleged N3.2billion contract scam by the Amnesty Office to members of the public.
“ This has no doubt punctured the credibility of Pointblanknews, and like a wounded lion, it is splashing muddied water at Prof. Dokubo to smear him.
“We wish to reiterate that there is no contract scam in the Amnesty Programme and no kobo was paid to the two companies as alleged by Pointblanknews, just as no staff (member) has been sacked either on a directive by the First Lady or for any other reason whatsoever.
He, however, said it should be emphasised that as a public agency, officials of PAP engaged either as consultants or civil servants were subject to Public Service Rules 030302 to 030306 relating to disciplinary procedures for misconduct.
“To this end, six staff (members) of the Amnesty Office comprising four consultants and two civil servants were recently suspended from duty for breaching provisions of the Public Services Rules.
“They are expected to appear before a legally constituted panel in accordance with statutory procedure.
“While a Panel of Inquiry is yet to be constituted, Pointblanknews again, celebrated its ‘exclusive report’ on Prof. Dokubo and the Amnesty Programme, alleging that some staff of the agency had been sacked on the request of the First Lady.
“This is no doubt a disservice to the noble journalism profession, and the height of blackmail.’’
Ganagana said the president’s wife is an embodiment of discipline, high moral standards, forthrightness and compassion.
According to him, she is a beacon of hope to womanhood, pillar of encouragement and support whose modest contributions to national progress should be appreciated.