A former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has described as mischief and celebration of falsehood, the statement credited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of engaging in “inappropriate” relationship with him.
The APC in a statement issued Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had accused the President of “hobnobbing with an alleged Boko Haram sponsor”, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff by travelling with him to Chad recently.
But reacting, the former governor in a statement dismissed the assertion, saying he was in Chad prior to the President’s visit but hastened to add that it was not out of place for him to join those who welcomed President Jonathan on arrival.
The statement issued by his Media Aide, Mr. Inuwa Bwala in Abuja, noted that the former governor has been a resident of Chad since 2011 when he left office pursuing his legitimate business.
Bwala’s statement reads in full, “It has become necessary to correct this misinformation, mischief and smear campaigns targeted at former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, where in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC has been using to sway public attention.
“The APC was reported misled Nigerians into believing that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was on the official entourage of Mr. President to Chad recently.
“We wish to state that Contrary to reports in some sections of the media that Former Borno state Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was on the entourage of President Goodluck Jonathan during his recent visit to the Republic of Chad, the former Governor was in Chad before the visit and was amongst many other Nigerians who received Mr. President at the airport in Ndjamena.
“It is necessary to clarify that Ali Sheriff is more or less a resident of Ndjamena, as he has been in Chad pursuing his legitimate business since leaving office in 2011 and it was not out of place for him to receive his own President in Chad.
“While it is not an (anathema) even if the President had travelled with Sheriff on his entourage, as Sheriff has neither been indicted by a panel of inquiry or found guilty of any offense by any court of law in Nigeria (nor) anywhere, one must hasten to point out that the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was being mischievous to have issued a press release stating that any form of relationship between Sheriff and Mr President as being inappropriate.
“The APC has been insensibly critical of all actions of Mr. President, and has been casting aspersions on the personalities of people who left the party.
“The APC is merely celebrating falsehood and mischief by orchestrating the controversial interview by a self styled Australian hostage negotiator, Steven Davis, who has since been disowned by the Government he initially claimed hired him.
“Actual negotiators involved in seeking the release of the Chibok girls have equally faulted the claims credited to the Australian, as being out of tune with processes and procedures involved in such matters. Besides there are emerging evidences which point to the contrary on issues raised by Mr. Davis.
“Nigerians should disregard the serial lies of Lai Mohammed and his party, the APC, as the outpourings of both the APC spokesman as well as it’s National Chairman, John Oyegun are mere ratings of two senile minds.
“Politics should be divorced from such very serious issues as security.”
