The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, has described the spokesperson of the opposition Congress for Progressive Change as a medieval-era ignoramus and brainless individual.

In a statement Tuesday night, Mr. Abati was unsparing of Mr. Fashakin who had earlier issued a statement condemning President Goodluck Jonathan for missing his speaking slot at the just-concluded African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

The CPC spokesperson had also accused the president of instigating the crisis in the Nigeria Governors' Forum.

But in responding to Mr. Fashakin's criticism of his boss, an ostensibly angry Mr. Abati poured invectives on the CPC spokesperson describing him as a silly, hideous and second rate character whose family should be ashamed of.

He described him as a disruptive character with a mental indolence that has left him with a deep character flaw.

Read the full statement below.

We are dealing with such hideous and second rate characters in Nigeria's public space, belonging to the ACN and the CPC, and that other would-be disaster-prone mongrel called APC that they won't even respect the truth. The prize for being silly in this regard must go to one Rotimi Fashakin who describes himself as the National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

He is an arm-chair critic per excellence and a medieval-era ignoramus.

In a release titled "President Jonathan's AU summit gaffe" (May 28) Rotimi displayed such habitual indolence and brainlessness that his heirs must be eternally ashamed of, and which I consider offensive and needlessly disruptive. His subject is the just-ended AU @ 50 summit in Addis Ababa.

I invite more cerebral and decent persons to consider the facts. President Jonathan as the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the AU summit in Addis Ababa and the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) indeed put up a sterling performance, using the opportunity of the trip to further promote Nigeria's interests and to strengthen Nigeria's relationships with other countries. He held bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General and the leaders of Jamaica, Egypt, Swaziland, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire. He granted interviews to the media, local and international. He also participated in a special session on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, at which he invited other world leaders to the Abuja+12 conference to be hosted in Nigeria, mid-June. President Jonathan is an accomplished diplomat and a responsible leader under whose watch, Nigeria's foreign policy process and international relations have been strengthened with commendable results.

Fashakin, failing to do minimal research that any right-thinking person would attempt, jumps to the conclusion that President Jonathan missed his slot at the AU and that nobody represented him. This is more than 48 hours after I had issued a statement indicating that no slot was missed. Fashakin must be so busy he doesn't even bother to read the news. No slot was missed because no country was under any compulsion to speak. Any country that wished to make a statement indicated the interest to do so, by pressing the button at its own convenience. Nigeria had indicated an interest to speak, but the President needed to attend an urgent ECOWAS meeting on the Lagos-Abidjan Highway, to be attended by five West African countries, to take a report by the Nigerian Minister of Works who is the chair of the regional inter-Ministerial body on the proposed Lagos-Abidjan Highway. I have since circulated the conclusions of that meeting.

While President Jonathan was attending that meeting, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, the Minister of Foreign Affairs presented our statement to the OAU at 50 on President Jonathan's behalf. I have also since circulated the full text of that statement. In other words, Nigeria's voice was heard, loud and clear. Let it be noted that President Jonathan's attendance of a meeting on the sidelines of the AU Summit was perfectly in order, and he attended quite a number, just as Minister Ashiru was not the only Foreign Minister who spoke on behalf of a President at the Summit. So where did Fashakin get his information from that nobody represented Nigeria?

The nature of his mental indolence is understandable. In this attempt to pull President Jonathan down at all costs, lies have become standard stuff, mischief a major commodity, and indecency a character flaw. President Jonathan does not owe anyone an apology for serving Nigeria diligently and truthfully.

Fashakin's reference to an incident in Australia is also wrong-headed because the allegation is false. In fact, in Australia, President Jonathan met with a broad range of investors in the mining sector and that has resulted in huge investments in the Nigerian mining sector. I consider the insinuation about inebriation, in Fashakin's statement, amplified by his paid agents in other fora, as utterly disrespectful and foolish. They can't certainly be talking about a President who is a well-focused man of achievement.

By the same token, I consider the reference to Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Nigeria Governors' Forum in that statement as a red herring. Again, I advise Fashakin to read the newspapers so he can be abreast of developments, the only way he can get close to being an effective spokesperson. I had made it clear that President Jonathan has no hand in the Governors Forum crisis, and we stand by that position.

Our case is not rested. When next Fashakin comes to the public with unintelligent thoughts about President Jonathan, it shall remain our duty to continue to remind him of the need to think before talking.

But in responding to Mr. Fashakin's criticism of his boss, an ostensibly angry Mr. Abati poured invectives on the CPC spokesperson describing him as a silly, hideous and second rate character whose family should be ashamed of.

Reuben I see today is a shadow, a pitiable sight, of the old Reuben. 'Reuben's crass crudity in his response to my last articlewas cruel to have brought my dear and innocent wife, Mobolaji, into the whitewash of his boss'. '

His friends are grumbling aloud that this is not the Reuben they used to know'. 'I have been one of his sympathizers'.

'His employers are suspecting that he's worried for his battered reputation'. 'They need not worry because our friend has crossed the Rubicon. He's at a point of no return'.

'why would Reuben ever drag my wife (a woman who had fed us all in our poverty-stricken days) in the mud? My wife and I voted in different Wards within the same school. Why won't a wife I married properly vote for me?...

I would want Reuben to tell the world if indeed he and his two wives voted for President Jonathan'. 'this is what power does to otherwise sensible men? How would posterity remember Reuben? I guess: A man who voluntarily set fire to everything he ever wrote. Shame!'

Maxymilliano: The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, has described the spokesperson of the opposition Congress for Progressive Change as a medieval-era ignoramus and brainless individual.

In a statement Tuesday night, Mr. Abati was unsparing of Mr. Fashakin who had earlier issued a statement condemning President Goodluck Jonathan for missing his speaking slot at the just-concluded African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

The CPC spokesperson had also accused the president of instigating the crisis in the Nigeria Governors' Forum.

But in responding to Mr. Fashakin's criticism of his boss, an ostensibly angry Mr. Abati poured invectives on the CPC spokesperson describing him as a silly, hideous and second rate character whose family should be ashamed of.

He described him as a disruptive character with a mental indolence that has left him with a deep character flaw.

Read the full statement below.

We are dealing with such hideous and second rate characters in Nigeria's public space, belonging to the ACN and the CPC, and that other would-be disaster-prone mongrel called APC that they won't even respect the truth. The prize for being silly in this regard must go to one Rotimi Fashakin who describes himself as the National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

He is an arm-chair critic per excellence and a medieval-era ignoramus.

In a release titled "President Jonathan's AU summit gaffe" (May 28) Rotimi displayed such habitual indolence and brainlessness that his heirs must be eternally ashamed of, and which I consider offensive and needlessly disruptive. His subject is the just-ended AU @ 50 summit in Addis Ababa.

I invite more cerebral and decent persons to consider the facts. President Jonathan as the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the AU summit in Addis Ababa and the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) indeed put up a sterling performance, using the opportunity of the trip to further promote Nigeria's interests and to strengthen Nigeria's relationships with other countries. He held bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General and the leaders of Jamaica, Egypt, Swaziland, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire. He granted interviews to the media, local and international. He also participated in a special session on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, at which he invited other world leaders to the Abuja+12 conference to be hosted in Nigeria, mid-June. President Jonathan is an accomplished diplomat and a responsible leader under whose watch, Nigeria's foreign policy process and international relations have been strengthened with commendable results.

Fashakin, failing to do minimal research that any right-thinking person would attempt, jumps to the conclusion that President Jonathan missed his slot at the AU and that nobody represented him. This is more than 48 hours after I had issued a statement indicating that no slot was missed. Fashakin must be so busy he doesn't even bother to read the news. No slot was missed because no country was under any compulsion to speak. Any country that wished to make a statement indicated the interest to do so, by pressing the button at its own convenience. Nigeria had indicated an interest to speak, but the President needed to attend an urgent ECOWAS meeting on the Lagos-Abidjan Highway, to be attended by five West African countries, to take a report by the Nigerian Minister of Works who is the chair of the regional inter-Ministerial body on the proposed Lagos-Abidjan Highway. I have since circulated the conclusions of that meeting.

While President Jonathan was attending that meeting, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, the Minister of Foreign Affairs presented our statement to the OAU at 50 on President Jonathan's behalf. I have also since circulated the full text of that statement. In other words, Nigeria's voice was heard, loud and clear. Let it be noted that President Jonathan's attendance of a meeting on the sidelines of the AU Summit was perfectly in order, and he attended quite a number, just as Minister Ashiru was not the only Foreign Minister who spoke on behalf of a President at the Summit. So where did Fashakin get his information from that nobody represented Nigeria?

The nature of his mental indolence is understandable. In this attempt to pull President Jonathan down at all costs, lies have become standard stuff, mischief a major commodity, and indecency a character flaw. President Jonathan does not owe anyone an apology for serving Nigeria diligently and truthfully.

Fashakin's reference to an incident in Australia is also wrong-headed because the allegation is false. In fact, in Australia, President Jonathan met with a broad range of investors in the mining sector and that has resulted in huge investments in the Nigerian mining sector. I consider the insinuation about inebriation, in Fashakin's statement, amplified by his paid agents in other fora, as utterly disrespectful and foolish. They can't certainly be talking about a President who is a well-focused man of achievement.

By the same token, I consider the reference to Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Nigeria Governors' Forum in that statement as a red herring. Again, I advise Fashakin to read the newspapers so he can be abreast of developments, the only way he can get close to being an effective spokesperson. I had made it clear that President Jonathan has no hand in the Governors Forum crisis, and we stand by that position.

Our case is not rested. When next Fashakin comes to the public with unintelligent thoughts about President Jonathan, it shall remain our duty to continue to remind him of the need to think before talking.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201305290058.html

take dat: Abati with his usual, crude and aggressive rebuttals characterised with abuses and innuendos. If he isn't referring to Nigerian youths as a "Collective Children of Anger" or telling Nigerians who are against granting pardon to ex-cons as displaying "Sophisticated Ignorance". There is nothing Presidential in most of his long epistle for a presidential spokesperson!!

Reptyle: Oh! By the way, can Abati tell us if the other foreign ministers that spoke for their Presidents at the AU event did so because their principals were also attending "side meetings" during the plenary. How important were these side meetings that the President would cede a scheduled speech to an aide while he attends a side meeting?

Incidentally, these are the kinds of questions that the Abati I used to know would ask in his popular weekend column in the Guardian Newspaper.

Is there something about working for the Nigerian establishment that diminishes ones ability to reason intelligently and ask vital questions?

gregg2:

Shut up my friend. There is no better way to contain the baggage of lies and disinformation from the likes of Fashakin and Liar Muhammed. Those guys will sell off your principal with their fabricated lies if you play gentlemanly with them.

gregg2: Oh boy, Abati dey vex.
But seriously, party image making we see from the likes of Fashakin and Liar Muhammed thrives on lies, lies and more lies.

Sincere 9gerian: Fantastic. That is the only language those LIARS understand. Abati, pls give them more doses of their own medicine

e-herbal:
The frustrations of the Jonathan govt and cabinet is becoming evident by the minute. Intolerant they've become that they can't stomach constructive criticism, even be it an aggressive one, there are rules of engagement based on decorum and tact. Abati has fallen to the deepest abyss of rascality(sic) and hooliganism. How did he get to be this way, is a big mystery to me. He's made nonsense of his career and reputation.