Immediate past Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has made it clear that he “has no intention of turning his back on Nigeria, a homeland he served diligently as President, to the best of his abilities.”
A statement signed by his aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said that report in a national newspaper that he had gone on exile in Cote d’Ivoire was unfortunate, disappointing and careless.
“We are disappointed that a serious newspaper like This Day could carelessly wager its reputation and encouraging perception, by submitting itself to such recklessness and needless sensationalism”.
“We are inclined to proclaim straightaway that this claim or any insinuation to Dr. Jonathan’s contemplation of exile is not only false, tendentious but inciting. Isn’t it reprehensible that the only truth in the This Day publication is that former President Jonathan paid a visit to President Buhari, while the rest of the content are bogus insinuations and fabrications.”
“It is surprising that, rather than apologize to the former president and the nation for an obvious gaffe, This Day continues to pursue this illusory line of thought, which achieves nothing but mislead its readers, even after the former President had clearly stated that he never, at any point in time, considered going into exile.
“We are persuaded to believe that the newspaper is pursuing a yet-to-be-declared agenda, especially after a call earlier made, out of respect, to the newspaper by the former president, to offer a clarification, was deliberately misrepresented, to agree with this premeditated conclusion.”
Dr. Jonathan’s spokesman said: “as a former President, Dr. Jonathan should be obliged the freedom to visit President Buhari, anytime he likes, to brief him on his international engagements and other commitments.
“Media houses to desist from this fruitless predilection of Jonathan bashing, just because it is convenient, and in tune with the disposition in some quarters.” [myad]