The Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has denied speaking to any journalist on a gift of N7.6 million from the President for the upcoming Sallah celebration.
Betara, in a phone chat with our correspondent from Saudi Arabia where he is presently performing the lesser hajj, said he was surprised to see such report attached to his name when he has not spoken to any journalist on any gift to the lawmakers.
It was reported by an online news platform that he admitted that a gift of N7.6 million was given to lawmakers as Sallah gift as against the reported gift to ensure they support the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers.
The online news platform had reported that: “In a desperate attempt at damage control, the Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has denied that the funds were bribes to secure support for the emergency rule.”
Betara said: “I am presently in Saudi Arabia performing the lesser hajj, and I was surprised when my attention was drawn to the report. How could I have said such thing. This was the fabrication of the imagination of the reporter.
“I never told anyone talk less a reporter that we were given a gift by the president for Sallah. I did not explain that money given were not for vote to support emergency rule in Rivers but rather Sallah gift.”
He added that: “I am not however moved by the lie, for it is always in the tradition of some media to put out a story to draw traffic to their website.
“They see politicians as someone they could stick some lies to and the whole public would believe.”
He however advised that journalists need not be advised on truth for it is essential for their credibility.
Michael Olugbode
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