The Presidency on Thursday issued a press statement denying that President Goodluck Jonathan hobnobbed with former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff while on a state visit to Chad on Monday.
The statement, signed by Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, said the former governor was not on Mr. Jonathan’s delegation to Njadmena and that his presence in that country at the time the president visited was merely coincidental.
“Those who associate with Senator Sheriff know that he has longstanding interests in Chad and often spends a lot of his time there,” Mr. Abati said. “He happened to be in Ndjamena at the time of President Jonathan’s visit and joined other Nigerian residents of the Chadian capital in coming to the airport to welcome their President.
“That was the full extent of his participation in the visit and it was also at Ndjamena Airport that the pictures which formed the basis of the bogus allegation of President Jonathan hobnobbing with an “accused sponsor of terrorism” were taken.
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| Abati's uploaded the image on Twitter |
“The former Governor’s presence in Chad was certainly not at President Jonathan’s instance and he did not participate in any of the President’s discussions with President Idriss Deby or his other engagements in Ndjamena.”
But a picture earlier released by Mr. Abati himself is at variance with the claim he made in the statement he released on Thursday.
The picture showed President Jonathan, his host, President Idris Deby, and Mr. Sheriff seated in a room. The three men appeared to be engaged in a closed-door meeting.
Assuming Mr. Sheriff, who recently defected to the PDP, was in Ndjamena on his own private visit and was indeed at the airport to receive President Jonathan and his delegation on arrival, how did the ex-Governor, who the President confirmed is under investigation, find his way into official meetings of state in the Chadian capital?
The picture shows clearly President Jonathan, President Idris Deby of Chad and Mr. Sheriff in a meeting. Was the picture that of Mr. Sheriff conducting his own private meeting with Presidents Jonathan and Deby in attendance? Or was the meeting that of Nigerian and Chadian Presidents with the former Borno Governor in attendance?
Why did the presidency claim that Mr. Sheriff did not participate in any meeting with Presidents Jonathan and Deby when a State House picture communicated the contrary?
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ReplyDeleteAPC look 4 ways2 bring back ur defected membas jus as PDP is doing underground & its workin 4 dem, u dont kill d persons image & tink u cn get him bak. Let him be investigated & if found guity tried & punished. U are making dem popular by ds publicity.
Address the shameful lie. Not APC or PDP. Be objective.
DeleteRightly countered!! This is a confused fellow, instead of addressing the lies from ASO rock, he/she is attacking a political party. Why can't we see the deceit in our leadership and forget being partisan?
DeleteMay God give u brains.
ReplyDeleteAPC and joblessness..........so disheartening
ReplyDeleteThank God there days are numbered.
ReplyDeleteI just imagine what is going to happen in pdp in three months time.
We the good citizens of this great nation are watching with keen interest.
My joy is that politics is a game of number period.
God give you too, you GEJ puppy.
ReplyDelete@Onasco, sorry 4u if u tink GEJ and PDP will loose in 2015. Get ready 2 hug a transformer in ur area.
ReplyDeleteMr. President, if your government lives by example, there will be moral justification to ask any Nigerian to give 100% service to our great nation.
ReplyDeleteModu Sherif was accused of funding Boko Haram and instead of investigating him, the same man followed you to Chad. Tell the group of lairs in the Presidency to save this country the shame your administration always brings to our great country.
Mr. President, if your government lives by example, there will be moral justification to ask any Nigerian to give 100% service to our great nation.
ReplyDeleteModu Sherif was accused of funding Boko Haram and instead of investigating him, the same man followed you to Chad. Tell the group of lairs in the Presidency to save this country the shame your administration always brings to our great country.