Presidency denies procuring 200 cars for African First Ladies

Abuja - The Presidency on Wednesday described as utterly false and misleading, a report in the Daily Trust Newspaper that the Federal Government bought 200 new exotic cars for the African First Ladies Summit.

The summit is scheduled to open in Abuja on Thursday.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Reuben Abati, said in statement that the report was an attempt to incite public anger against the government.

The statement said the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM), the organiers of the summit, was a Non-Governmental Organisation.

``Its activities are funded by stakeholders and members of the private sector who support and identify with its objectives.

``In accordance with its modus operandi, the AFLPM set up several committees, including a finance committee, to raise funds and sponsorship for the organisation of its Abuja Summit.

``As part of its contributions to the successful hosting of the summit by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Coscharis Motors Ltd., offered to provide some cars for the event.

``This is at no cost to the organisers or the Federal Government of Nigeria.

``Under an agreement signed by the committee and Coscharis Motors, all the cars will be returned to the company after the summit,’’ it said.

It stated that the editors of the newspaper had no facts in the body of the story to support the claim in the headline that the Federal Government bought the cars in question.

``Daily Trust admits in the report that it could not confirm if the cars were bought outright or hired, yet it published “FG BUYS 200 CARS FOR FIRST LADIES SUMMIT”.