#BringBackOurGirls Campaigners Plotting to Unseat Jonathan-Presidency

The presidency Thursday accused the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners of plotting to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan.It said the plot was confirmed Wednesday with the presence of the movement's leaders at the presidential declaration of Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.).

This came as the APC urged Jonathan to release the Chibok girls rather than seeking to make political gains out of their release.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, twitted the accusation on his twitter handle on Thursday.

According to him, the roles played by an activist, Dino Melaye, and the presence of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign initiator, Hadiza Bala Usman, at the declaration, were proofs of their aim to politicise the abduction of the more than 200 Chibok girls.

"Our longstanding view of BBOG movement's hidden agenda to unseat the Jonathan administration received full justification yesterday (on Wednesday.)

"Roles played by Melaye and the presence of BBOG's initiator, Hadiza Bala Usman at Buhari's declaration is proof of the true aim of politicising the agony of the Chibok girls and their families.

"This is now fully apparent, the true agenda and prime movers of BBOG movement," Abati twitted

He charged Nigerians to open their eyes and reject what he described as the movement's political partisanship and unjustifiable Jonathan bashing

"The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains-BBOG activists. Partisan interest masquerading as altruism. Now, the mask is off. Politicising collective agony to score cheap political points. How sad?

"President Jonathan remains fully committed to doing all possible to BBOG. He will not be deterred by political hustlers and agents provocateurs," Abati concluded

Meanwhile, the APC has urged the president to release the schoolgirls rather than seeking to make political gains out of their release.

A statement issued in Abuja Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: "Mr. President, tongues are wagging that you know where the girls are and that you want them to be released only when it will give you the maximum political advantage. We don't know if this is true or not, but if it is, please release the girls now.

"It is cruel and unconscionable for anyone to use these girls as pawns on a political chess board. They have now been in captivity for over six full months. Please end the agony of the girls' parents and indeed of all Nigerians," it said.

The APC said the body language of President Jonathan, since the unfortunate abduction of the girls, points to the fact that he knows more than he is willing to admit on the unfortunate issue, and that he has exhibited an unprecedented nonchalance over the plight of the girls.

"First, the president waited for all of 19 days before even admitting that the girls have been abducted, losing a critical window of opportunity to rescue them from their abductors," APC said. "When eventually he was forced by global pressure to admit that the abduction is real, Mr. President and his wife chose to subject the girls' parents and others to untold verbal assault and mental torture.

By Onyebuichi Ezigbo and Jaiyeola Andrews

 

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