The Nigerian ambassador to Chad, Mohammed Dauda, on Friday dismissed reports that a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, travelled with President Goodluck Jonathan to that country on Monday.
Dauda, who spoke on the telephone with the News Agency of Nigeria from N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, described the reports as baseless and cheap politics.
Sheriff was recently accused by an Australian, Stephen Davis, of being one of the chief sponsors of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Sheriff denied the accusation.
Dauda also noted that that the former governor did not participate in Monday’s private security meeting between Jonathan and President Idriss Debby of Chad as reported.
He said: “There are a lot of friends that actually have been calling to say that: ‘Ah! The President came with Governor Ali Modu Sheriff on his entourage’.
“So, I just want to put the record straight as far as the embassy is concerned.
“I just want to be fair to the President.
“Actually, he (Jonathan) was not aware that Sheriff would be at the airport to welcome him and Ali Sheriff is almost a permanent resident here.
“He stays here, I think, more than he stays in Nigeria.
“And when he (Jonathan) arrived at the airport, he was not even aware of his (Sheriff’s) presence.
“But he (Sheriff) came with the host president and no one can tell the host president whom to come with.
“It was when the host president was coming that we saw Ali Sheriff.”
Dauda added that the photograph of Jonathan, Sheriff and Debby sitting together, which formed the basis of the false report, was taken at the Presidential Lounge of the airport at N’Djamena.
He added: “The picture I saw was taken at the airport.
“When they received the President at the tarmac, they went into the VIP Presidential Lounge.
“The President (Jonathan) saw him with President Debby and the reception ended at the airport and from there he found his way somewhere else.
“He was never at any meeting with the President.”
The envoy wondered why the former governor was already being seen as a criminal by some Nigerians when he had yet to be pronounced guilty by a competent court of law.
The speculation was sparked by a photograph of Jonathan’s visit, which was tweeted by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, on Tuesday.
In the photograph, Jonathan was seen seated with Sheriff and his host, Debby.
Immediately the photograph appeared on Abati’s Twitter handle, the social media went agog with the speculation.
The All Progressives Congress, the main opposition party, latched onto the reports, accusing Jonathan of trying to block ongoing investigation on the accusations against Sheriff.
The ambassador’s reaction came barely 24 hours after the Presidency also refuted the allegation.
Addressing State House correspondents on Thursday, Abati described the allegation as spurious and mischievous.
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