The Presidency on Tuesday rebuffed claims that former President Goodluck Jonathan was blackmailed into supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders’ Forum had accused Jonathan of teaming up with the APC against the PDP, on whose platform he rose to the positions of Bayelsa deputy governor, Nigeria’s Vice-President and ultimately President, to avoid prosecution.
The forum in a statement issued on Sunday by its Chairman, Chief Benson Odoko, claimed that Jonathan used the Bayelsa poll to negotiate with President Muhammadu Buhari not to prosecute him for alleged corruption.
Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the PDP elders’ claims as “false.”
While addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Shehu noted that Jonathan had been out of power for almost five years, without any previous allegations of government blackmail cropping up.
He warned Nigerians to stop blaming Buhari for everything.
According to him, Jonathan had enough reasons to work against the PDP in the Bayelsa elections without interference by President Buhari.
The statement read: “Anyone who has been following the politics of Bayelsa State should be aware of the sour relationship between Dr. Jonathan and the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.
“That’s more than enough reason for the former President to decide to work against his party, if indeed he did.
“We really must stop this habit of blaming President Buhari for everything, including issues that are not his business.
“It just doesn’t make any sense, Our media really must learn to verify whatever they publish. And people who make wild allegations during interviews should be made to produce the facts backing their claims by editors. A newspaper can be sued for granting space to people who belch false allegations against individuals with no proof.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders’ Forum had accused Jonathan of teaming up with the APC against the PDP, on whose platform he rose to the positions of Bayelsa deputy governor, Nigeria’s Vice-President and ultimately President, to avoid prosecution.
The forum in a statement issued on Sunday by its Chairman, Chief Benson Odoko, claimed that Jonathan used the Bayelsa poll to negotiate with President Muhammadu Buhari not to prosecute him for alleged corruption.
Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the PDP elders’ claims as “false.”
While addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Shehu noted that Jonathan had been out of power for almost five years, without any previous allegations of government blackmail cropping up.
He warned Nigerians to stop blaming Buhari for everything.
According to him, Jonathan had enough reasons to work against the PDP in the Bayelsa elections without interference by President Buhari.
The statement read: “Anyone who has been following the politics of Bayelsa State should be aware of the sour relationship between Dr. Jonathan and the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.
“That’s more than enough reason for the former President to decide to work against his party, if indeed he did.
“We really must stop this habit of blaming President Buhari for everything, including issues that are not his business.
“It just doesn’t make any sense, Our media really must learn to verify whatever they publish. And people who make wild allegations during interviews should be made to produce the facts backing their claims by editors. A newspaper can be sued for granting space to people who belch false allegations against individuals with no proof.”