Senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhair on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu has called on Nigerians to stop blaming the President on things that do not concern him.
Speaking to news men today, November 26 in Abuja, in reaction to insinuations in some quarters that President Buhari blackmailed former President Goodluck Jonathan to support the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the Bayelsa State election, Garba shehu described it as “false and irresponsible.”
The Presidential spokesman, who cautioned media against availing their platforms for all sort of false stories, said: “we really must stop this habit of blaming President Buhari for everything, including issues that are not his business.
“It just doesn’t make any sense. Our media really must learn to verify whatever they publish. And people who make wild allegations during interviews should be made to produce the facts backing their claims by editors. A newspaper can be sued for granting space to people who belch false allegations against individuals with no proof.’’
Garba Shehu said that former president Jonathan had been out of power for almost five years without any previous allegations of government blackmail cropping up, stressing that there were more than enough reasons for Dr Jonathan to work against his Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa elections without interference from President Buhari.
“Anyone who has been following the politics of Bayelsa State should be aware of the sour relationship between Dr Jonathan and the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson. That’s more than enough reason for the former president to decide to work against his party, if indeed he did.”
