President Goodluck Jonathan
President
Goodluck Jonathan on Friday dismissed claim by the All Progressives
Congress that his Thursday’s visit to Lagos was to coordinate rigging
plans for the Peoples Democratic Party in today’s governorship election.
He wondered why he would rig the
governorship election for the PDP when he did not rig the March 28
presidential election in which he was a candidate.
Jonathan’s position was contained in a
statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media
and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.
Abati said there was nothing unusual in
people paying homage to the President when he is on a visit to Lagos or
any other part of the country.
He said the APC spokesman lied as usual
and was rude to insinuate that Jonathan met with people in Lagos for the
purpose of rigging the poll.
Abati said Muhammed and his paymasters
were only cooking up meaningless tales in order to change the
commendation Jonathan had received across the globe for conceding defeat
in the presidential election.
He said, “Lai Muhammed is wrong to say
that the President came to Lagos to rig the governorship and House of
Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 11. He is of course
lying as usual.
“President Jonathan visited Lagos. He
arrived on Thursday and left on Friday. People visited him. So what?
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.
Obanikoro 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 State. I don’t see how his visit to the
President, who is also the leader of his party, should become an issue.
“Yes, Gani Adams also visited, but so did a lot of other people.”
Abati added that the President did not
hold meetings with the Independent National Electoral Commission
officials neither did he meet with the police, polling officials or with
anybody who is involved in organising elections.
He said to claim that the President went to Lagos to supervise the rigging of today’s election was most uncharitable and cruel.
Abati said, “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. That, obviously, is the narrative that Lai Muhammed and
his masters want to change, so they are now cooking up meaningless
tales.
“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.”
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