Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied endorsing Senator Ali Modu
Sheriff as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
during a visit of the embattled PDP Leader to his house.
Mr Ikechukwu Eze, Media Adviser to the former President described the
claim as false, saying the issue of endorsement never came up in the
course of the visit, “not at the closed door meeting with Sheriff nor
during the former President’s interview with newsmen.”
Eze who wondered “why few reporters, some of whom were not even at the
venue, chose to infuse mischief in their report”, also noted that Jonathan
as a former President and foremost leader of the party, welcomed Sheriff
and some of his supporters to his house, in line with a mediation role he
is playing towards unifying and strengthening the PDP.”
He further stated that Jonathan opened his doors to Sheriff upon his
request, just as he had earlier done to the Makarfi-led caretaker
committee members, adding that the former President is prepared to broker
more talks until the issues in the leadership of the PDP were finally
resolved.
He said: “In deed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with
Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader
of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the party’s Board of Trustees
chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.”
Eze emphasised that “as a peace-loving leader of the party, the former
President’s interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a
constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative
of deepening the nation’s democracy.”
Eze said further: “I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that
it just doesn’t add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one
breath, and in another, concede that the former President explained his
commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving
the differences in the party.”
He also said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the former
President’s exact words during the interview with newsmen, as had
accurately been reported by most online and major national newspapers, as
well as broadcast organisations:
‘We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems.
There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve
these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us
leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still
meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as
a political party,’ Jonathan said.
Eze further made a case for fair and balanced reporting of national
issues, saying: “While we appreciate the interest of journalists in the
coverage of the activities of the former President, we urge accurate and
constructive reporting, as it is a known fact that we cannot truly develop
our nation, if journalists continue to twist and fabricate stories with
the intent of misinforming the public.”