 |
| Suspended EFCC acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu |
He said this when he appeared before the presidential panel investigating him on Thursday.
A source disclosed to The Nation what Magu said when he was grilled about Osinbajo.
Magu was quoted as saying: “I did not tell the panel that I gave the Vice President N4 billion”
He quipped: “Where will I get such money? Do I have access to such funds? It is part of mudslinging. Please clear this. I do not have any control of such cash, I did not order the transfer of N4 billion to the VP or to anybody.”
Magu insisted that Osinbajo’s name “never came up at the panel’s session at all. Since the VP was not an issue, I could not have mentioned that I gave him N4 billion”.
Meanwhile, the Vice president Yemi Osinbajo had also denied collecting N4 billion from Magu, describing the allegations as “campaigns of lies and calumny” against him.
In a statement on Wednesday, through His spokesman, laolu Akande, Osinbajo described the report as “baseless fabrications”, adding that such “reckless publications” have become tools used by unscrupulous elements to tarnish the image of honest public officials.
“With all emphasis at our disposal, let it be firmly stated that these are totally false and baseless fabrications purporting to reflect goings-on at the Probe Panel investigating Mr. Ibrahim Magu. They are indeed completely absurd in every respect,” the statement read.
“Sadly, such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny. The online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, have been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.”
His demand was contained in a July 9 petition signed by his lawyers, Taiwo Osipitan and Abimbola Kayode.