‘I stand by my statement on COVID-19 fraud’ — Ndume replies Garba Shehu

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, says he stands by his statement on alleged fraud in the palliative programme for citizens to cushion the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, Ndume asked President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the committee in charge of relief to the poor over alleged fraud.

But in a statement on Friday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said it is disappointing of the politician to call out “unnamed individuals in the administration and accuse them of unknown transgression”.

The presidential spokesman asked the senator to provide proof to back his claims, describing him as a “discontented politician”.

Speaking with Tribune newspaper, Ndume said he is not ready to join issues with anybody as he has made his position known on the matter.

“I’m not ready to join issues with anybody on palliatives distribution having made my observations known based on information I got from the grassroots as a grassroots person,” the senator was quoted to have said.

“I’ve made my position known on the programme and I stand by it.”