STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT
CONDUCT YOUR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WITH GREATER REGARD FOR
THE TRUTH – PRESIDENT JONATHAN TELLS BUHARI
We have noted with disappointment and regret, the reckless,
baseless and unsupportable charges made against the Jonathan Administration
yesterday by a supposed elder statesman, General Muhammadu Buhari.
We wholly reject the allegations made by General Buhari
against the Jonathan Administration at yesterday’s declaration of his intention
to contest the 2015 presidential elections as an irresponsible denigration of
President Goodluck EbeleJonathan’s sincere efforts, over the past four years, to
positively transform Nigeria.
It reflects very badly on the character of the political
opposition we now have in Nigeria, that a political leader of General
Buhari’sstature will deliberately make such false and uncharitable comments
about the elected leadership of his country, merely for personal and sectional
political gain.
Statistics and rankings from the National Bureau of
Statistics, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund and other international economic agencies give the lie to General
Buhari’s claims on the state of the Nigerian economy.
As is well known, available figures, statistics and ratings
show that the Nigerian economy has consistently maintained an unprecedented
growth rate of 6-7% under the Jonathan administration. They also show that the
Nigerian economy is now the leading economy in Africa and the 26thlargest in
the world with a gross domestic product of over $500 billion per annum.
Also contrary to General Buhari’s assertion yesterday,
Nigeria’s agricultural sector is thriving under the reforms being implemented
by the Jonathan administration as current production figures show and neither
manufacturing nor commerce is “down” as the APC presidential aspirant alleged.
His most uncharitable and inexcusable accusation against the
present administration was that election rigging continues to thrive in
Nigeria.
We trust that all patriotic, objective and non-partisan
Nigerians will reject that allegation knowing it to be invalid and they will
have the evidence of the progressively freer, fairer and ever more credible
elections conducted under the Jonathan administration to support their
position.
Despite the other false accusations General Buhari made
against the President who he clearly fears to take on in an honest,
issues-driven presidential election contest, President Jonathan will continue
to carry forward his transformation agenda in the power sector and other areas.
The President will not be discouraged or deterred from his
objective of repositioning Nigeria for accelerated and inclusive socio-economic
development by the partisan and jaundiced views of power seekers like General
Buhari who cannot see the obvious results of the current administration’s
efforts through their blinkered eyes.
We also draw the attention of Nigerians to the total lack of
originality in the hackneyed manifesto offered to Nigerians yesterday by the
APC Presidential aspirant.
All that General Buhari promises to do are already being
done by the Jonathan Administration to the acclaim of ordinary Nigerians and
there is no evidence before Nigerians that the APC leader and his acolytes can
do them better.
The retired General is free to renege on his well-publicized
pledge not to seek elective office as he has done, but we urge him to conduct
his presidential campaign with greater regard for the truth.
We also urge him to eschew unbecoming false accusations
against others like a true elder statesman and to focus his campaign on more
original ideas for the promotion of peace, stability, unity and progress in our
beloved nation.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 16, 2014
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