The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman has threatened to sue Sahara Reporters, an online news medium, over a published report alleging that she was involved in bribery to circumvent the results of the primary election for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in favour of an aspirant.
According to the report, Hadiza was alleged to have handed over $2m to Farouk Adamu with the aim of buying the senatorial ticket for Mr. Uba Sani, who is Gov. Nasir el-Rufai’s political adviser and has been locked in stiff contention and controversy with Senator Shehu Sanni under the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.
In a terse statement issued by Hadiza on Friday, she said: “I am by this statement, requesting that Sahara Reporters retract this libelous publication or present proof of their allegations within seven days without which I would have no choice than to seek legal redress in a law court.”
The rebuttal statement further stated, “This is absolutely false, reprehensible and a total travesty, which negates every known principle of the noble profession of journalism.”
She added: “While I have respect for the role of the media in the development of our country, one would expect that a media platform like Sahara Reporters, whose promoters project themselves as respecters of the rights of the others, would have their facts right and present incontrovertible facts rather than sponsored conjectures that attack the integrity of law abiding citizens.
