President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday denied the
allegation by the All Progressives Congress that visit to
Lagos Thursday was to coordinate rigging plans for the
Peoples Democratic Party in today’s governorship election.
In a statement made available to journalists by his Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, Mr. Jonathan
wondered why he would rig the governorship election for
the PDP when he did not rig his own in the March 28
presidential election.
The president lost the March 28 polls to the APC candidate,
Maj.-Gen. Muhammdu Buhari (retd).
According to the statement, there was nothing unusual in
people paying homage to the president when he is on a visit
to Lagos or any other part of the country.
It said the APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, lied as usual
and rude to insinuate that the purpose of President
Jonathan’s meeting with people in Lagos was for rigging the
poll.
Abati said Muhammed and his paymasters were only
cooking up meaningless tales in order to change the
commendation Jonathan had received across the globe for
conceding defeat in the presidential election.
He said, “Lai Muhammed is wrong to say that the President
came to Lagos to rig the governorship and House of
Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 11. He is of
course lying as usual.
“President Jonathan visited Lagos. He arrived on Thursday
and left on Friday. People visited him. So what? Anytime the
President is in Lagos or any part of the country, a lot of
people come to pay homage to him.
“Nothing unusual happened during his last visit to Lagos.
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s visit to the President in Lagos
is not something that anybody should use to play politics.
Obanikoro is a Minister of the Federal Republic. He came to
see his boss.
“Mr. Jimi Agbaje is the governorship candidate of the PDP in
Lagos State. I don’t see how his visit to the President, who is
also the leader of his party, should become an issue.
“Yes, Gani Adams also visited, but so did a lot of other
people”.
Abati added that the president did not hold meetings with
the Independent National Electoral Commission officials
neither did he meet with the police, polling officials or with
anybody who is involved in organising elections.
Therefore, the claim that President Jonathan went to Lagos
to supervise the rigging of today’s election was most
uncharitable and cruel.
Abati said, “After the presidential election, the President
immediately congratulated Gen. Buhari and the whole
world has commended him for saving Nigeria.
“President Jonathan’s sportsmanship, statesmanship and
leadership saved this country at that critical moment.

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