The Presidency has berated the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over its inquiry on the use of the £4.2m James Ibori loot to be returned by the United Kingdom to Nigeria.
SERAP, in a statement on Tuesday, asked the Federal Government to clarify why the £4.2 Ibori loot for the construction of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge when the Abacha loot of over $600M was earmarked for the same project.
“We also urge @NigeriaGov to urgently publish details of the planned spending of the £4.2m on Lagos—Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge, and whether there is any money remaining from the Abacha loot reportedly spent on the same projects, explaining exactly the total budget for Lagos—Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge, and whether the Abacha loot earlier earmarked for the same projects is not enough to complete them would ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of the Ibori loot,” the statement read in part.
Responding to the statement, Tolu Ogunlesi, Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, in a series of tweets on Wednesday described the organisation as “extremely sloppy and ignorant.”
“For a so-called ‘accountability’ CSO, you guys can be extremely SLOPPY & IGNORANT.
@nsia_nigeria —which manages the #PIDFund into which last year’s Abacha loot & this new Ibori Loot are deposited—publishes annual audited reports. Start there.”
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“Every year @nsia_nigeria- Fund & Investment Manager for #PIDFund publishes annual reports. 2020 report not out yet but will be published. What kind of operation is
@SERAPNigeria running if these basic facts are not available to you?Don’t you have researchers? Are you learners?”
“This social media Agberoism that @SERAPNigeria does is great for Retweets & clout. But it’s useless as an actual means of generating the accountability they claim to seek. It’s also a way of avoiding the real hard work. It’s LAZY, & a disservice to your supporters and funders.”
“Don’t use Twitter sensationalism to run away from hard work. Hire researchers & smart people. Try to Understand the issues you’re demanding accountability for. Know who owns the info you seek. If you don’t you’re going to keep making public fools of yourselves,” Ogunlesi tweeted.
