The Presidency has accused the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, of being rude and making false allegations against President Goodluck Jonathan.
Abati was reacting to a statement issued on Friday by Mohammed in which he raised the alarm that President Jonathan was in Lagos to assist the Peoples Democratic Party rig the April 11 governorship election in Lagos State.
He said: “Lai Mohammed is wrong to say that the President came to Lagos to rig the Gubernatorial 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 (as Obanikoro is popularly called) 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 said.
Abati also said that President Jonathan did not hold any meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission officials or any other official involved in the elections as alleged by the APC.
He stated further: “The President did not hold meetings with INEC officials. “He did not meet with the police or polling officials or with anybody who is involved in organising elections. “So to say that the President went to Lagos to supervise the rigging of Saturday’s election is most uncharitable and cruel.
“After the presidential election, the President immediately congratulated Gen. Muhammadu 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 Mohammed and his masters want to change, so they are now cooking up meaningless tales.
“Lai Mohammed should look for another target and leave the President alone. “His fatuous tale does not make any sense. “I repeat: we will like to advice 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?”
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