A member representing Ningi/Warji federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdullahi Saad Abdulkadir Baba-Iyali, has threatened to institute legal action against Exchange Hama Media (EHM) for exposing fraud and duplicity in his constituency project.
This medium has recently published an investigative story exposing how a constituency project nominated by the lawmaker was paid twice using two distinct names with no commiserate work on the ground to justify the payment.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Exchange Hama Media dated November 9, 2022, by Barristers Abdulrashid Barau and J. P. Dukut from Pragmatic Chambers demanded a retraction of the story and an apology to be published within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice or face legal action.
The letter reads partly: “In the said article, some serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement were made as regards the project for the construction of the road in Rumba village and another one from Baima to Tiyin, all in Warji Local Government, Bauchi State, within our client’s constituency.
“It is the brief (sic) of our client that from the caption of the said article to its content, it suggest (sic) one point to a simple conclusion that our client is involved in corrupt practices and syphoning funds meant for public projects.
“Our client categorically refute (sic) those allegations been (sic) false, untrue, wrong and maliciously made to taint and tarnish the good image of our client, especially at this time when election is around the corner.
“You are by this notice, given 48 hours from the time of service of this notice on you, to unequivocally retreat your false allegation, tender an unreserved apology to our client and publish same on the same platform upon which you published your false article. In default of you ro (sic) doing, our client will be left with no option that (sic) to seek redress in the appropriate venue,” the letter threatened.
We stand by our story
Hama media however said it stands by its story that the project was paid twice while in reality, it is one and the same project that was given two different names to facilitate corruption.
“We have read and understood the letter. First Hama media is a serious investigative outlet that is non-partisan and non-political, doing journalism to hold power to account. We received a complaint from communities plying the road about the condition of the road, we investigated and found that the road has been awarded two times with different nomenclature under Baba Iyali’s constituency project.
“In our effort to be fair to him, our reporter reached out to him and interviewed him, and the records of the interview are available as evidence. He conceded ownership of the project during the interview and even clarified some salient points.
As far as we are concerned, we have been fair to him by hearing his own side of the story, and this is a requirement in journalism”, the Director of Hama media, said.
He further argued that “His own side of the story is reflected in the investigative piece published by the medium.”
The director added that Hama media will not offer any public apology regarding the story, insisting that its journalism is credible.
The director added that there is no project at the said communities that justify the payment of funds made in the constituency project.
It also maintained that there was a violation of the public procurement act in the award of the contract to entities that are not qualified to be given such awards as contained in the PPA provisions
