Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency,NIMASA, Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has reacted furiously to allegations by APC Campaign that the agency was behind the hate adverts against General Muhammadu Buhari.The DG who described APC Campaign’s allegations as malicious lies ,and political grandstanding also urged the accusers to retract their statement or face “all necessary steps to seek redress.”
“Let me reiterate here that we have instructed our solicitors to give our accusers the opportunity of retracting their unfounded allegations failing which we shall take all necessary steps to seek redress”,NIMASA DG said while addressing journalists on Sunday in Lagos.
He slammed the recent “attempts have been made by the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) and some misguided elements and individuals to impugn the integrity of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and its management. The vicious campaign is intended to cast aspersions on the activities and integrity of NIMASA as a responsible corporate entity of government.
“The attempts consist of a trail of mischievous representations and blatant lies, orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to discredit the giant and monumental strides President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has achieved through NIMASA and other Agencies in the Maritime Sector. In the process, important issues of state have been trivialised on the altar of political grandstanding at the expense of the unity of our dear country, Nigeria.
“It must be echoed for record purposes that NIMASA is not a political party. We are a responsible Government Agency trying our best to fulfil the mandate setting us up as an organisation. We will not therefore be dragged into malicious politicking of our accusers, neither would we be intimidated into not parading our achievements nor shy away from our core responsibilities.
Addressing what he described as APC’s malicious attacks, Akpobolokemi said “In what has become a deliberate orchestrated attempt to undermine and rubbish all performing and strategic institutions of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the APC has mounted relentless attack and vicious propaganda, all in the name of politics, to attack the Nigerian Army, Police, Directorate of State Security, NNPC and its latest victim – NIMASA. Prominent amongst the falsehood perpetrated by APC against NIMASA is the allegation that NIMASA contracted the country’s maritime security to a private firm they claim is owned by Tompolo. I here unequivocally state that this accusation is false. NIMASA neither entered into any such security contract with any private company nor with Tompolo.
“These unfortunate allegations have mutated over time culminating in their rather callous and condescending attempts to variously describe NIMASA as the President’s ATM, and now labelling us as the sponsors of hate campaigns against the APC Presidential candidate.
For the avoidance of doubts, the NIMASA success story which is globally celebrated today is borne out of hard work, visionary leadership and team spirit which cannot be dampened, regardless of the orchestrated attempts to trivialise the giant strides of this administration. No amount of smear campaign by the APC or any other body for that matter will divert us from our committed course and vision of bequeathing a robust Maritime Safety Administration to generations unborn.
He also denied allegations that Global West bought warships for NIMASA “Contrary to widespread speculation, Global West did not buy warships for NIMASA, what we have are our routine operational vessels with which the Nigerian Navy and the Agency collectively have successfully carried out the Agency’s mandate as well as tracked, interdicted and arrested vessels engaged in criminal activities in our waters.
But APC Campaign has called NIMASA’s bluff, insisting it was ready to meet the agency in court to present evidence to prove its allegations.
