Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, has debunked insinuations that Jonathan is a drunk and a glutton.
In an opinion article in The Guardian on Sunday, Abati said the piece was to “correct” some of the myths about Jonathan, underline the achievements of the administration and equip the “twittering, pinging, Facebook crowd of the new age” with facts that should guide social commentaries.
The social network have been awashed with reports of the President’s passionate love for the local gin, Ogogoro, widely brewed in Jonathan’s home state of Bayelsa State.
Abati said, “We are not allowed to touch alcohol. Alcohol is not served during official duties. Yes, when there is an international function, wine is served, but nobody gets drunk around here (Presidency). That will amount to an act of indiscipline.
“The President himself does not allow alcohol to be served at his table. But when you go to social network media, they tell you something else. Lies. Lies. Lies.”
The presidential spokesman also denied that contrary to what had been circulated on social network sites, Jonathan does not eat much.
He said, “I have even heard that the President spends billions on feeding. Well, I have enjoyed the privilege of eating at the President’s table. What does he eat? Fish pepper soup. Cassava bread, slices of yam, rice, boiled plantain, fruits and vegetables.
“He fasts when he chooses, and fasts all month during Ramadan and Lent. And because he takes his exercises and keep fit regime seriously, he eats very little. Okay, he drinks coffee. And yet, there are people out there who keep claiming that there is a feast in the Villa every day. They say at every meal, the table is decorated with roasted turkey, and every delicacy under the sun. Lies. Lies.
“This President is not a glutton. We have a disciplined, hardworking President who enjoys his privacy, and the company of intelligent people.”
Abati equally berated the legion of “critics”, whom he said had described the President as clueless.
He said, “They criticise him out of ignorance. They abuse him out of mischief. You say he is a clueless President. You are wrong; he is not clueless. Nobody is more committed to the Nigerian Project than President Jonathan. In spite of unforeseen challenges, which his administration has had to contend with, President Jonathan is doing his utmost to positively transform Nigeria. Ordinary Nigerians know and appreciate this.
“Those parading themselves as leaders of the opposition, who claim that the President has lost the support of Nigerians, represent only themselves and their selfish interests.
“President Jonathan is a clever, methodical and intelligent man, who is very adept at wrong footing all the persons who make an effort to second-guess or under-estimate him. He understands the complexity of Nigeria.
“He is acutely conscious of the historicity of his emergence as Nigeria’s No. 1. He knows that he is here as the leader of all Nigerians.”
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Even if he is,will you tell us? Lies lies lies
ReplyDeleteWe are not interested in his private life, all we ask for is a better Nigeria and we know he can help us achieve that.
ReplyDeletehe is a good man i kn that,may God give him the strength to lead and do the right thing for Nigeria
ReplyDeleteWhat do u think i will expect u to say. protect ur job my guy. President Jonathan is doing his utmost to positively transform Nigeria. Ordinary Nigerians know and appreciate this. yes, yes, ordinary Nigerian like Reuben Abati.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing what you are paid to do. But you too knows within you that the guy is confused. He doesn't have any direction as to how to run d country. He is a disappointments to those who voted him to power. The worst to have presided over d country.
ReplyDeleteAttention shouldn't be giving to such gosip,GEJ should perform N save this country from the evil men who want to make this nation ungovernable.
ReplyDeleteWether he is a drunkard or a gluttonist or hater of food and drinks does not really concern us. All what we demand from him is a good governance. let him fight corruption to a logical conclusion. let him maintain the roads and construct new ones. let him improve our electricity. let him provide adequate security for nigerians. let him give us the real facts on the actual landing cost of petrol (afterall a professor of petroleum engineering had challenged him on this and came out with his own fact that petrol landing cost is 50 naira). ALL WHAT WE CARE FOR IS BETTER LIFE FOR NOGERIANS
ReplyDeleteDr Reuben! U don change o! This is not u talking! Does good man translates to good leader? Na wa 4 u o! U don dey chop money too. God dey o!
ReplyDeleteDr. Abati has made a bad job of this piece. If all our pressy eats is local delicacies, including cassava bread, what is wrong with washing it down with a local brew? I wish Dr. Tai Solarin was here to defend Dr. Jonah's right to drink akpeteshi alias ogogoro instead of imported gin and South African wines.
ReplyDelete“The President himself does not allow alcohol to be served at his table." - interesting! This reminds me of a boss few year ago who gets weak in the knees at the sight of alcohol. She we plead with us and we will work to ensure that there is no alcohol around her at a social function. Why? Because once she's had the first glass, the working day comes to an end!
Emex u must be very enlightened cos I like ur comments all d tym! U dnt just post for d sake of dat, back to Abati why wud u comment on such frivolous issues wen there are issues to be addressed? Sometyms I wonda why people like u just talk for d sake of being heard! Who cares if he eats or not? Pls let him do his job as d president cos all dos stories of ordinary nigerians supporting him is bullshit! Majority are disappointed in him so he better look for ways to redeem his image else he will lose come 2015!
ReplyDeleteGod knows better, I have my questions for Mr President, What has he done to remedy the suffering of people affected by devastating aftermath from assault of wicked sensationalist of the Northern extract right from the north-wide killing and destruction that greeted his election victory and the continued terror unleashed by Boko Haram, I thanks God that I am leaving today to tell a story after loosing all material things and a few friends i have in three northern states where i carryout my engagements I have not seen any level of Government offer help to any Victim or Families of deceased victims. I continue to pray for God to help him conscious of the uncalled for hatred and sabotage against him just because he is a Christian.
ReplyDeleteTells dat to the fools abati, jonathan is a drunker as being speculated. behind every rumour there is element of truth.
ReplyDeleteAll this is uncalled for. Nigerians should learn to respect our president.
ReplyDeleteMust you respond or defend all they write about the president or you guys don't have work in that villa You can decide to do part time lecturing work at Uni Abuja to relieve the boredom
ReplyDeleteThank you
You don't need to respond to all that is said about the president If he no dey drink ogogoro then let him start so that he can face the vagaries of life No wonder Boko dey make am see double I beg give am monkey tail join and he will rule us well
ReplyDeleteThank you
even if mr president is a drunker or glutton dat has nothn to do wit governance,he is a human being like every other nigerian,let him live his life.bt he just hav to perform his duties.
ReplyDeleteeven president george bush jnr. takes lots of alcohol bt he was able to handle the affairs of americans and the world, jonathan drink as much as u need bt try to put food on the table of a common man, dats all
ReplyDeleteAll this is called for! The president of Nigeria should learn to respect Nigerians!!!
ReplyDeleteMy bible enumerates the vagaries attendant to alcohol and food abuse and recommends external(divine and human) and personal effort to overcome it. Also medical science agrees that such and other substance abuse may imply deeper and grave psychosocial imbalance that may reqiure professional help and personal effort to overcome. Both are unanimous in the opinion that such abuse significantly affect optimal function and productivity in life. The bible is scatching in its warning to leaders to avoid its use at all not to talk of abuse. If therefore there is ever the slightest of chances that his excellency the president may have a problem as this, then it is of utmost importance to his dear citizens in spite of the fact that it is his privacy. Anything that impairs a leader's vigilance/alertness, astuteness especially in Nigeria's muddy political waters is an invitation for personal political suicide and nothing short of impending national disaster. Hounourable SSA, beyond image making and damage control, pls remember all your previous contribution to the Nigerian political discourse and help to amke sure that this does not continue or ever happen if u love him and us all. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe a president deserves respect, the lying statements of Abati is annoying and insulting. The president fasts all month of Ramadan and lent. Why the lies? Is he a chris-lem? This tells me that all you say are lies. Sorry I can't believe you again. - AJ
ReplyDelete