Jonathan to APC: Leave me alone
Jonathan was today reacting to the allegation by the APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, that he visited Lagos Thursday to supervise the rigging of tomorrow’s gubernatorial poll for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jimi Agbaje. Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, in an interview with State House journalists this night, said the allegation was uncharitable and cruel. […]
Jonathan was today reacting to the allegation by the APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, that he visited Lagos Thursday to supervise the rigging of tomorrow’s gubernatorial poll for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jimi Agbaje.
Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, in an interview with State House journalists this night, said the allegation was uncharitable and cruel.
The presidential aide also denied that Jonathan met in Lagos with INEC officials, the police or any officials involved in the conduct of the elections.
“Lai Muhammed should look for another target and leave the President alone. His fatuous tale does not make any sense. I repeat: we will like to advise that the APC should just leave the president alone. President Jonathan was a candidate in the presidential election; he didn’t rig the election. Why would he want to rig tomorrow’s elections?”, he queried.
Abati, who accused the APC of “cooking up meaningless tales”, however, admitted that many people visited the president who arrived Lagos on Thursday and left today.
“Anytime the president is in Lagos or any part of the country, a lot of people come to pay homage to him. Nothing unusual happened during his last visit to Lagos. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s visit to the president in Lagos is not something that anybody should use to play politics. Koro is a minister of the Federal Republic. He came to see his boss. Mr. Jimi Agbaje is the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos. I don’t see how his visit to the president, who is also the leader of his party, the PDP, should become an issue. Yes, Gani Adams also visited, but so did a lot of other people.
“After the presidential election, the president immediately congratulated Gen. Buhari and the whole world has commended him for saving Nigeria. President Jonathan’s sportsmanship, statesmanship and leadership saved this country at that critical moment. He has demonstrated his commitment to free and fair election, the rule of law and due process. He has shown that he is a man of character, honour and integrity. Nigerians generally are proud of him. He has left a worthy legacy and shown a great example”, Abati said.