Presidency denies buying 200 cars for presidents’ wives

The Presidency on Wednesday denied a media report that the Federal Government
purchased 200 exotic cars for the ongoing African
First Ladies Summit being hosted by wife of the
President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, in Abuja.
The government, in a statement by the Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr.
Reuben Abati, described the report as "utterly false
and misleading."
It added that the report was another attempt to
incite public anger against the Presidency and the
Federal Government.
The statement read, "The true facts of the matter are
as follows: The African First Ladies Peace Mission
which is holding its summit in Abuja is a Non-
Governmental Organisation. Its activities are funded
by stakeholders and members of the private sector
who support and identify with its objectives.
"In accordance with its modus operandi, the AFLPM
set up several committees, including a finance
committee to raise funds and sponsorship for the
organisation of its Abuja Summit.
"As part of its own contributions to the successful
hosting of the summit by the First Lady, Patience
Jonathan, Coscharis Motors Ltd. offered to provide
some cars for the event at no cost to the organisers
or the Federal Government of Nigeria.
"Under an agreement signed by the committee and
Coscharis Motors, all the cars will be returned to the
company after the summit."
The Presidency argued that the authors of the report
were aware that they had no facts to support the
claim that the Federal Government bought the cars
in question.
It said it was regrettable that the authors of the
media report rushed to publish a completely
erroneous report, the falsity of which should have
been apparent to them.
"Their very unprofessional and unethical decision to
publish the unverifiable allegation can only be
construed as another attempt to incite public anger
against the Presidency and the Federal Government,"
the statement added.