Nigeria Presidency is obviously angry with some foreign and local media which floated an idea that it is spending the sum of $800 Million to hire foreign firm to launch an image laundering for it.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said that such reports are completely false and baseless.
“Reports in national and foreign media that the Federal Government is currently in the process of recruiting an international public relations firm to “counter mounting criticism both inside and outside the country” are completely false and baseless.
“The suggestion that the Federal Government intends to spend a staggering sum of $800 Million on the phantom public relations effort to ease “increasing pressure over its response to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls” is also wholly untrue.”
Dr. Abati said that federal government considered such falsehood coming at this particularly difficult and sensitive time for the entire nation as highly insensitive, deplorable, absurd and very malicious.
He emphasized that there is no iota of truth in the reports of a drive by Jonathan government to recruit consultants to launder his image, adding that the federal government’s topmost priority for now is not public relations or image laundering but national security and the ongoing effort to ensure the safe return of the abducted college girls.
“We therefore condemn the attempt by purveyors of the bogus reports to incite the Nigerian public against the Federal Government through the circulation of falsehoods.”
