by Azeez Adeniyi

The Presidency on Friday said Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was not involved in a N10m bribe as claimed by former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ishaya Bamaiyi(rtd).

Bamaiyi in his book had said Osinbajo was asked to convict him while he was Lagos State Attorney- General.

He also claimed that the trial judge, Justice Ade Alabi demanded a N10 million bribe from him and was shielded by Osinbajo.

The Senior Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande has however said Bamaiyi’s claims were false.

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He said, “ My attention has been drawn to claims made by General Bamaiyi in his book Vindication of a General, where he alleged that the then Attorney-General of Lagos State, Osinbajo, the trial judge, (in the criminal case of his “involvement” in the shooting of Alex Ibru) Justice Ade Alabi and the State Police Commissioner were called to Abuja and “directed to convict us at all costs within six months.”

“That Justice Ade Alabi asked for a N10m bribe through “one Mr. Martin” to facilitate his bail application in the case, and that the National Judicial Council panel composed to investigate the bribery allegation, protected the Judge.

“Specifically that Prof. Osinbajo “brought what he said was the panel report during one of the motions. Unfortunately, pages one through twenty-nine of the report were not produced.”While the Vice President, Osinbajo would take more comprehensive steps to address the evil insinuations made by the retired General, I have confirmed from him, i.e. Prof. Osinbajo, that he was never called to Abuja or at any time given any instructions on how to resolve the case. This blatant lie arose only from the fertile imagination of the author.

“Equally, the shifty recollections of the retired General about Prof. Osinbajo bringing a panel report with pages missing is as ludicrous as it is incongruous. For instance, is the author saying the then Lagos State Attorney-General was responsible for the NJC panel report? That would be incredible and clearly a mischievous proposition.”

Azeez