I’ve never been Ezekwesili’s aide – Chiahemen

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Editor-in-Chief of National Accord newspaper, Mr. Tom Chihemen, has denied speculations that he was a former aide of erstwhile Education Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesile. In a press statement issued by the publisher of the Abuja-based weekly last night following claims by the anti-graft agency, ICPC, that he had served as Ezekwesili’s lieutenant, he debunked the allegation, saying it was a company in which he had some stake, that had a  transaction with the said ministry.

Text of Chiahemen’s press release, made available to this newspaper, reads: “My attention has been drawn to a front page lead story, which appeared in the Monday, March 11, 2013 edition of Daily Sun newspaper under the caption: “Fresh trouble for Ezekwesili ….ICPC set to arraign former aide.” “In the said publication, where I was referred to as an aide to the former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, the Head of Media of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Folu Olamiti, reportedly accused me of “making a political statement out of” my recent encounter with the Commission. He was quoted to have said “…no sane person should take any allegation made by Chiahemen seriously..”
“I find it necessary to clarify that first, I was never an aide to the former minister of Education and I had no personal business transaction with the Federal Ministry of Education during her tenure as minister. Rather, Cattigan Communications Limited, a Media & Publicity consulting firm in which I had interest, was appointed to handle advertisements placing on behalf of the ministry between August 2006 and May 2007.
“I made no political statement in the release I issued on March 7, 2013 in response to enquiries from family members, colleagues and friends. It only contained a detailed account of what transpired between me and the ICPC from March 6 – 7, 2013. My statement, which is still in the public domain, contained no allegation against the ICPC as I only tried to recall my encounter with officials of the Commission”.

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