My Lagos Visit, Not To Rig For Agbaje – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday faulted a
claim by the All Progressives Congress that his
Thursday visit to Lagos was to coordinate rigging
plans for the Peoples Democratic Party in the
Saturday governorship election.
He wondered why he would rig the
governorship election for the PDP when he did
not rig the March 28 presidential election in which
he was a candidate.
Jonathan’s position was contained in a statement
made available to journalists by his Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.
Abati insisted that there was nothing unusual in
people paying homage to the President when he
is on a visit to Lagos or any other part of the
country.
He said the APC spokesman lied as usual and was
rude to insinuate that Jonathan met with people in
Lagos for the purpose of rigging the elections.
The presidential spokesman said Muhammed and
his paymasters were only cooking up
meaningless tales in order to change the
commendation Jonathan had received across the
globe for conceding defeat in the presidential
election.
He said, “Lai Muhammed is wrong to say that the
President came to Lagos to rig the governorship
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 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 added that the President did not hold
meetings with INEC officials, neither did he meet
with the police, polling officials or with anybody
who is involved in organising elections.
He said to claim that the President went to Lagos
to supervise the rigging of Saturday’s election
was most uncharitable and cruel.
“After the presidential election, the President
immediately congratulated Gen. 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
Muhammed and his masters want to change, so
they are now cooking up meaningless tales.
“Lai Muhammed should look for another target
and leave the President alone. His fatuous tale
does not make any sense. I repeat: we will like to
advise 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?
he added.