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“There was never a time the VP said the Federal Executive Council must “crush” any group with
“by fire by thunder. It is fake news that the VP asked Nigerians to pray for any group of people perpetuating violence instead of meting out justice to them’’
“These are fake news and deliberate deployment of falsehood. The VP’S voice on matters of
justice in and out of government is always loud and clear’’
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has distanced himself from a media report that the Federal Government must “crush” any group in the country with all the full weight of the law.
Osinbajo, describing such reports as deliberate falsehood, said the comments attributed to him about Southeast groups and Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis was nothing but a bush telegraph.
Mr Laolu Akande, the spokesman to Osinbajo, refuted the media reports while featuring on the weekly FRCN network show, “ Have Your Say’’, on Thursday.
“There was never a time the VP said the Federal Executive Council must “crush” any group with
“by fire by thunder. It is fake news that the VP asked Nigerians to pray for any group of people perpetuating violence instead of meting out justice to them.
“These are fake news and deliberate deployment of falsehood. The VP’S voice on matters of
justice in and out of government is always loud and clear,’’ Akande was quoted as saying by
Persecondnews.
According to him, the vice-president does not use such languages at all and urged Nigerians to ignore the comments.
“For quite a long time, there has been deliberate deployment of falsehood against the vice-president.
“I have seen a number of times they put out stuff on WhatsApp, Facebook that says the vice-president has said something to attack a particular group in the South-East, and that this and that is what he said about the farmers-herders conflict, all of it are untrue.
“What the vice-president said about our people in the South-East is that they are people of industry, and that though there may be issues from different parts of the country, the whole essence of a union is to find very transparent, open ways to resolve the differences.
“And that he knows that people and leaders across the country whether from the South-East, South-South, South-West, North-East, North Central, all support the unity of this country,’’ Akande said,
On the issue of justice, Akande said that the vice-president, just like the president, had said very clearly that anybody that violated the law or engaged in violent conduct must face the law.
According to him, justice is an important requirement for humanity.
He clarified: “The vice-president is someone whose voice is very clear about the issues of justice, he
makes this very clear in his actions and deeds, just check some of this things out independently, you
will see those attributed fake comments are complete bunkum.
“So when you read that hog-wash about what he is falsely reported to have said about the
herders-farmers clashes and all that, just know that it is just a lie, a big one for that matter.
“He is the one that said there must be justice and that we can all live together, and that there is strength in our unity, there is value in our diversity.
“If you read anything that runs contrary to the virtues the VP is well known to espouse, just know
straightaway that it is not true, it is fake news and don’t pay any attention to it.’’
He said Osinbajo was focused on supporting President Muhammadu Buhari in creating opportunities for young Nigerians such as the forthcoming 20,000 yearly jobs fellowship — the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), soon to be inaugurated by the president.
Akande noted that such fake news had become a recurring problem, adding that the people in the
profession had a duty and responsibility to ensure that there was sufficient professional regulation
aside government regulation.
On the NJFP, the presidential aide said it was in line with the job creation agenda of the Federal
Government which was being implemented across different sectors.
He said that the scheme which was designed for fresh NYSC graduates would provide the enabling
environments for them to develop job skills in important sectors.
Akande said the programmes would also enable them to garner the necessary experience required
to get better paying jobs at the end of the scheme.
He explained that there were quite a number of other programmes being implemented at the moment under the Social Investment Programme and the Economic Sustainability Programme .
Akande also listed the Nigeria Innovation Programme, Nigeria Investment Fund, Public Works
Programme as schemes geared toward creating job opportunities for young Nigerians.
On security, Akande said the Federal Government understood the challenges and was working towards overcoming them. “The President and the Vice-President alongside other leaders in the country are working together to ensure that security agencies are properly resourced and given clear mandates.’’
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