Jonathan orders removal of #BringBackJonathan campaign signs

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has directed that the #BringBackJonathan2015 signs and banners around Abuja be removed. Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, in a statement this morning, said Jonathan and many Nigerians found the campaign signs offensive and repugnant, directing therefore they should be brought down immediately. The president’s directive came hours after the Washington Post in its […]

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has directed that the #BringBackJonathan2015 signs and banners around Abuja be removed.

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, in a statement this morning, said Jonathan and many Nigerians found the campaign signs offensive and repugnant, directing therefore they should be brought down immediately.

The president’s directive came hours after the Washington Post in its editorial, titled, ‘This may be the Most Inappropriate Political Hostage of the Year,’ questioned the slogan’s similarity with that of the Bring BackOurGirls group demanding the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls of Chibok.

“In this context, the new campaign slogan is particularly galling. Jonathan has not brought back the girls, yet his campaign expects Nigeria to bring him back to power. One wonders if it will spawn more rich satire among Nigerians on social media. After all, there’s plenty of precedent,” the editorial read in part.

But Jonathan’s spokesman said this morning that the president wholly shared the widely expressed view that the signs which were put up without his knowledge or approval are a highly insensitive parody of the #Bring Back Our Girls hash tag.

According to him, while Jonathan appreciates the enthusiastic show of support for his administration  by a broad range of stakeholders, he condemns the #Bring Back Jonathan 2015 signs which appear to make light of the very serious national and global concern for the abducted Chibok girls.

He said the president assured all Nigerians and the international community that his administration remained fully engaged with efforts to rescue the abducted girls and that he would not knowingly promote any actions that will fly in the face of the seriousness of their plight and the anguish of their families.