Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, on Friday dismissed a recent report published by Sahara Reporters alleging that she was involved in bribery to circumvent the results of the primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District. The report alleged that she handed over $2m to Farouk Adamu with the purported aim of buying the said senatorial ticket for Mr. Uba Sani.

“This is absolutely false, reprehensible and a total travesty, which negates every known principle of the noble profession of journalism,” Ms. Usman said in a statement issued in Lagos and personally signed by her.

Continuing, she said: “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.

“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.”