The Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday alleged that the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made a total of N280m dealing in forex.
On its Twitter handle, @PdpNigeria, the party stated that Shehu was assisted in the deal by the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
However, in a swift reaction, the spokesman to Buhari denied the allegation.
“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,” the PDP tweeted.
However, Shehu in a disclaimer posted on his Facebook wall on Saturday stated that he was not a forex trader, threatening to sue anyone behind the social media handle.
“It is a lie by PDP to say I bought $800,000 from the CBN. I had only two forex purchases since coming into government: Eight thousand Dollars ($8,000) sent to my daughter and nephews through United Bank for Africa. This is verifiable.
“I’m not a forex trader. The day I choose to start trading in forex, I will resign as a presidential spokesman. If I know the coward and psychopath behind the official PDP handle, I will launch a defamation suit against him or her. And I will claim money in millions as damages,” Buhari’s spokesman said.
Efforts to get the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, to comment on the tweet were unsuccessful as his phone indicated it was switched off.
SUNDAY PUNCH was however able to speak with his deptuy, Abdullah Jalo, who said he could not say whether the tweet officially originated from the party or not.
“I am in my hometown at the moment. I am not at the national secretariat of our party. I cannot say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for now,” Jalo said in a telephone chat with our correspondent.
The Twitter handle also accused wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, of collecting “$22m from the CBN on the instruction of Emefiele and the company sold at N362 same day”.
Reacting to the allegation, the wife of the President said in a series of tweets, “This is grounds for a lawsuit on defamation of character.
“Making false and unfounded allegations without proof just to incite Nigerians on social media is wrong.
“Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari is not a dealer of forex. She has not and will never be involved in any illegal dealings.”
