The Presidency has rejected the insinuation that former President Goodluck Jonathan was blackmailed to trade-off Bayelsa State in the just concluded gubernatorial election.
Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, had alleged in an interview with a national daily that the former president traded off the state to the All Progressive Congress (APC) for his freedom from prosecution in the ongoing Malabo oil deal investigation.
But a presidency statement signed Abiodun Oladunjoye, Deputy Director, Information, in Abuja on Tuesday, described the claim as “false and irresponsible.’’
ALSO READ: Obsolete infrastructure, population growth affect supply of potable water ― Ganduje
The statement attributed the remark to Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who it said spoke to some newsmen.
It added that the presidential spokesman expressed shock that such a story could be considered believable to the point of being given space in some newspapers.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,’’ he said. “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,” he said.
Shehu maintained that the former president had been out of power for almost five years, without any previous allegations of government blackmail cropping up.
He also noted that there were more than enough reasons for Dr Jonathan to work against his party, PDP, in the just-concluded Bayelsa elections, without interference by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shehu added: “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.”
and then