Litigation may result from the trading of allegations between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which accused the party of laying on it “to score political points against President Goodluck Jonathan.”
NIMASA asked the APC to withdraw accusations that it sponsored hate campaigns against APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, failing which it would take legal action.
The APC riposted by daring NIMASA to go to court, claiming to have evidence to prove its allegations.
NIMASA denies being Jonathan’s ATM
Regardless, NIMASA Director General, Patrick Akpobolokemi, is adamant that “the vicious campaign is intended to cast aspersions on the activities and integrity of NIMASA as a responsible corporate entity of the government.
“We should leave politics to the politicians and let the professionals do their job.”
Akpobolokemi denied allegation that NIMASA contracted maritime security to a private firm owned by Tompolo or any other private company, and threatened to sue the APC to court over allegation that NIMASA sponsored television documentaries against Buhari.
He cited allegations by the APC against the Army, the police and the Department of State Service (DSS), saying the party is known for making “baseless accusations”, and urged the public not to be deceived by such propaganda.
“Also very embarrassing is the APC’s allegation that NIMASA is the ATM (automated teller machine) of Jonathan. For God’s sake, if a political party is smelling defeat in the nearest future, let it go and confront its problem and isolate us from politicking or any form of campaign,” Akpobolokemi said.
“How can somebody make such baseless accusations and go scot free? The allegation that NIMASA is sponsoring hate documentaries against [Buhari] is completely false and malicious.
“Where is the evidence to show that NIMASA engages any media outfit? All these accusations either from the APC or disgruntled Nigerians are false, vicious, malicious, wicked, and cannot be supported by any evidence.
“NIMASA has decided to give the APC 72 hours to retract its statement and offer an apology to NIMASA or the management of NIMASA will take all necessary and legitimate actions against the party.”
2,500 on NSDP scholarship
He said he was taken aback by recent media reports which tried “to disparage the agency on the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).”
Akpobolokemi disclosed that over 2,500 young Nigerians who have benefitted under the NSDP are currently on scholarship in institutions in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Romania, India, and Philippines studying to become marine engineers, naval architects and nautical scientists.
“This has gone on successfully, devoid of any discrimination. For the avoidance of doubt, no student of the NSDP has been sent out of school for fees and none will be sent out, because all fees have been paid by NIMASA to date,” he added.
He appealed that maritime administration be left to the professionals at NIMASA while politics remain within the terrain of politicians.
APC stands its ground
But APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) dismissed the threat of litigation by NIMASA, saying it has ample evidence to support its claim that NIMASA sponsors hate campaigns against Buhari in documentaries aired on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Africa Independent Television (AIT).
APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, insisted that there are several acts of NIMASA that are “at variance with the objectives and scope” of the NIMASA Act which does not envisage its involvement 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).
“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.
“It assumes a more serious dimension when staff are denied their dues and money shipped out to fund illegal activities,” Shehu argued.
He said the APC would present “credible witnesses” in court to prove that NIMASA has since transformed into a campaign outpost of the PDP.