Former Governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, on Monday said he did not loot the treasury, adding that he is being blackmailed because he refused to join the All Progressives Congress.
Aliyu spoke barely 24 hours after the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, released a fresh list containing 23 names of alleged looters.
Mohammed said Aliyu received N1.6 billion from the former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Israel Ebije, and made available to newsmen in Minna, Aliyu threatened to challenge his inclusion on the list in court.
He claimed in the statement that nobody had confronted him with any document(s) that he received N1.6 billion from the former National Security Adviser, adding: “They have to prove it.”
He said: “At the time the money was shared I was leader of the G-7, hence was skipped from the sharing arrangement. My relationship with government at the center was frosty at the time.
“Let me categorically state for the records that I never received such amount from the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. As leader of the G-7 I was not considered loyal enough to be entrusted with the fund, which as we may all recall was meant for campaign.
“The money was released to a former governor and a female minister and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have invited those involved in the sharing of the said money.
“I have never been mentioned to have received the sum of N1.6 bn from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) or involved in any disbursement since 2015.
“The APC government led by President Muhammadu Buhari had embarked on calculated blackmail against my person because I refused to join the APC.
“We all have our minds and what we believe in. Politics is a thing of the mind. This is to show that the government is hell bent on bringing me down but they will not succeed.
“I have no case with the federal government over the alleged disbursement or any other. I have every reason to believe the looters’ list in which my name was included was drafted to tarnish me before right thinking Nigerians.
“I believe somebody somewhere is leveraging on the unfortunate case I have with the Niger state government to present a bogus dragnet of alleged looters.”
While demanding to be exonerated by the Federal Government, Dr. Aliyu said: “Those involved have confessed and agreed to refund in installments, and the matter is in public domain.
“Let me therefore urge the federal government to delist me immediately from the alleged looters. I demand that my name be cleared on this matter.
“I may consider other options as a citizen whose right as guaranteed by the constitution of the federal government has been breached. I will not be used to serve interest of anybody or political party. I will not allow this matter to slide without justice.”
Aliyu further called on federal government to produce evidence to support claims he collected the money, adding that his good name has been dragged in the mud.
He said: “I urge the federal government to be balanced in naming and shaming alleged looters. The list is far from being exhaustive.
“This list is politicized and craftily deployed to score cheap political points. Nigerians are waiting to see names of politicians working with the APC government who have benefited from the said loot.
“I served my people to the best of my ability, I have left a landmark for posterity, no amount of blackmail or character assassination can wipe me out from the minds of the people.”
Dr Aliyu said he was already consulting his lawyers on the next line of action to take on the issue.