President Goodluck Jonathan on
Friday faulted a claim by the All
Progressives Congress that his
Thursday visit to Lagos was to
coordinate rigging plans for the
Peoples Democratic Party in the
Saturday 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 insisted that 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 elections.
The presidential spokesman
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 State House
of Assembly elections
scheduled for Saturday, April
11. He is of course lying as
usual. And rude.
“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. 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.”
Abati added that the President
did not hold meetings with INEC
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
Saturday’s election was most
uncharitable and cruel.
“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.
“President Jonathan was a
candidate in the presidential
election; he did not rig the
election. Why would he want to
rig tomorrow’s elections? he
added.
