Buhari insists NIMASA transformed into Jonathan campaign fund

The All Progressives Congress presidential campaign office has dismissed as empty the threat of litigation against it by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), saying that it is unfortunate the agency has transformed itself into President Jonathan’s campaign funds.

The opposition campaign earlier accused the maritime agency of sponsoring hate campaigns against its presidential candidate retired General Muhammadu Buhari on AIT and the NTA.

A statement by the campaign media and publicity director Malam Garba Shehu in reaction to the 72-hour ultimatum by NIMASA demanding retraction and apology over the said report said that the APC will present credible witnesses in court to prove not only this, but the fact that the maritime agency has since transformed into a campaign outpost for the PDP.

“There are several acts of the management that are at variance with the objectives and scope of activities of the agency as spelled out under the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act, 2007. NIMASA Act does not envisage the involvement of the agency in political campaign. It certainly has no provision for hate campaigns against Buhari, nor does it allow for the funding of the activities of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN),” the campaign spokesperson said.

NIMASA is trying to reduce this to a campaign issue, but the truth is that the conversion of a statutory government agency into one actively promoting partisan political actions of the president is of national significance,” he said.

He added that the agency has “assumes a more serious dimension when staff are denied their dues and money shipped out to fund illegal activities.”