Jonathan to Obasanjo: Your allegations are senseless, irrational
President Goodluck Jonathan this night fired back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his latest criticism of his administration. The president, in a statement by his spokesman, Reuben Abati, said allegations by Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta were very odious and repugnant. The former president had earlier on Saturday accused Jonathan of plotting to win […]
President Goodluck Jonathan this night fired back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his latest criticism of his administration.
The president, in a statement by his spokesman, Reuben Abati, said allegations by Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta were very odious and repugnant.
The former president had earlier on Saturday accused Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by “hook or crook” and planning to plunge Nigeria into crisis if he loses the election in the same fashion as Laurent Gbagbo of Cote’d Voire. He was reacting to the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the commission was forced to do so by the Jonathan’s administration.
Jonathan described Obasanjo’s allegations as senseless and irrational, saying it was ‘most regrettable that Obasanjo, who should know better, chose to repeatedly, wantonly, and maliciously impugn the integrity of a sitting president of his country for the primary purpose of self-promotion.”
The statement said it was “obvious from Obasanjo’s serial vituperations against Jonathan who is doing his best to positively transform Nigeria for the benefit of all of its people that he has willfully chosen to close his eyes to the present administration’s good works and intentions. For reasons best known to him, Chief Obasanjo has set his mind on regime change by fair or foul means.
“Otherwise, it would be completely senseless, irrational and out of place for Chief Obasanjo, who still claims to belong to the same party as the President, to accuse President Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by hook or crook and planning to plunge the nation into crisis if he loses the election”.
The presidential spokesman said for the record, Jonathan has no such intention and will continue to give the greatest possible support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the rescheduled elections are successfully conducted.
He said President Jonathan is not trying to plunge Nigeria into crisis, “but Chief Obasanjo who is scheming to plunge the country into chaos in pursuit of a selfish and highly egocentric agenda”.
According to him, Obasanjo’s plot with others within and outside the country is to thwart the general elections and foist an unconstitutional Interim National Government, “which he hopes to head, on the nation is well known to us, but by the Grace of God Almighty, his odious plan to return to power through the back door will fail woefully.”
Related story