Allegation Of Bribery Of Delegates Is Campaign Of Calumny -Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has described as desperate campaign of calumny allegations in an online publications this morning that he has been doling out monetary inducements to delegates whose votes will determine who emerged as the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic, PDP during in the 2011 general elections.
Global Information System which has been described as a privately run thinktank of retired U.S. military strategists had in a report published on its website accused Jonathan of “corruption of the Nigerian political process,†with allegations that the presidency has been bribing PDP delegates with the sum of $13,000.00 to secure their votes during the primaries.
The website which has been linked to one of the contestants against Jonathan for the PDP presidential ticket had also alleged that the funds for the illicit payment is being sourced from the purse of Federal Government.
But the presidency described the allegations as a “desperate campaign of calumny to portray the president in bad light and pre-judge the outcome of the forthcoming PDP presidential primaries, in which he is evidently the man to beat”,in its reaction contained in a statement signed by Ima Niboro, spokesperson for President Jonathan today.
Jonathan also in the statement warned its co contestants against engaging in smear campaign.
President Jonathan said he has so far restrained his aides from embarking on campaign of calumny in the “spirit of fair play and impartial contest” even though “there are others who have more to fear, including rattling skeletons in dusty cupboards”, than he would ever have”.
“Nigerians know the masters of governance by settlement and it is not Jonathan”, Niboro added in the statement.
The President therefore advised other presidential aspirants to follow his footsteps in this regard while warning that he can also embark on a similar campaign.
“We advise purveyors of these repugnant stuff to desist forthwith, for it is indeed a game two can play!
“We only desist in the interest of peace and our avowed commitment to fairplay.
“Others must needfully emulate the candour and uprightness of the president and step back from the path of wilful malice and character assassination.
“The president is confident in the power of discernment of those who will emerge as PDP delegates, and as such does not require to pay any one, least of all from the public till, for his or her vote” Niboro concluded.
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