The Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, has denied news report by an online platform that it “demanded 10% of the N159 billion Refund to Paris Club Contractors As Kickback”.
This is contained in a statement titled, “Untrue, malicious and libelous allegation against Nigeria Governors Forum and its Chairman, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi,” signed by the spokesperson of the Forum, Abdulrazaque Barkindo and made available to ASHENEWS on Saturday.
According to the Forum, the report was “intended to mislead the innocent reader and coax them into believing the lies…and leaving them unchallenged would be catastrophic, apart from also assuming a life of its own.”
It therefore demanded retraction of the report, which it described as “mischievous, untrue and fake news within 24 hours, with an apology published by your news site” and threatened to take legal action should the platform fail to oblige with it request.
Read the statement below:
“The attention of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has been drawn to a publication on the Sahara Reporters online newspaper marked as an “Exclusive” news item dated March 26, 2021 alleging that the Chairman of the Forum, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi “demanded 10% of the N159 billion Refund to Paris Club Contractors As Kickback”.
Ordinarily, this salacious and sensational gossip would have been ignored but we know that it is intended to mislead the innocent reader and coax them into believing these lies from the pits of hell and we know that leaving them unchallenged would be catastrophic, apart from also assuming a life of its own.
So, because of this, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum refuses to engage with Sahara Reporters at the deep abyss that it has taken the noble profession of Journalism to and will not join issues at all.
However, the NGF demands a total retraction of this mischievous, untrue and fake news within 24 hours, with an apology published by your news site. In the event that Sahara Reporters fails, neglects or omits to follow these steps, the NGF will be left with no other option than to seek redress in a court of law.
While looking forward to an immediate response from your publication, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.
