Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati,
Thursday, once again addressed the unrelenting outrage and condemnation
that greeted the sudden appearance of posters of President Goodluck
Jonathan in some strategic locations in Abuja, declaring that “the
President of Nigeria has an office that is so important that he cannot
behave in a cowardly manner.”
The
pasting of the president’s 2015 campaign posters has generated
widespread criticism from opposition parties in the country, some of
whom accused the President of flying playing the voice of Jacob but the
hand of Esau.
Speaking
with State House correspondents yesterday, Dr. Abati said: “The
President of Nigeria has an office that is so important that he cannot
behave in a cowardly manner. This is a man who is honest and have
reputation of being honest.
“Those
who are bent on distracting this government have brought out the
posters. I repeat that President Jonathan knows nothing about it.”
When
asked why the President had not directed security agencies to go after
the people behind the posters, Abati said: “The security agencies have
their jobs cut out for them. If they feel there is anything that is
likely to disturb the polity, that is likely to affect the integrity of
the State or they feel something has happened and they need information,
that needs to be investigated, then of course they will do their job.
“They
don’t even need to wait for presidential directive. It is part of their
normal duty to find out what is happening in the environment
particularly if what has happened is a matter of public interest.
“The
President does not need to give any order. People whose job is it to
ensure that nothing goes wrong within the Nigerian state will do their
job.
“They
will make their own assessment; they will do their own investigations.
If they feel that there is any threat whatsoever to public peace, to
rule of law and order, they will make sure that that is not allowed.
“President
Jonathan has not launched any campaign for re-election in 2015. He has
not asked anybody to go and paste posters around Abuja. Whoever those
people are, they are acting on their own. They are not President
Jonathan’s agent. They are on to their own mischief.
Reiterating
Jonathan’s earlier stance that it is too early in the day to be
discussing 2015, Abati said, “The President has been consistent with the
issue of 2015. In the last presidential media chat, he said he was not
talking about 2015 at this moment.
“He
had been given assignment by the Nigerian people which is to see
through the transformation agenda, to ensure the different changes he
has promised in life and society. That is what he remains committed to.”
He
said what was playing out was an indication that “the contestation for
power in Nigeria is quite a complex one and people will go to any length
to push their own agenda.
“This
is not coming from the President. When the President takes a position
in terms of his own personal involvement or otherwise with regards to
the 2015 elections, you can be sure he will come out to Nigerians and
say this is where he stands on this matter the same way he did on
previous occasions.
“But the President is not going to adopt this kind of tactics that you see on display.”
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