Joseph Bakare
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has responded to Presidency’s negative remarks on his new book ‘My Transition Hours’ that was launched last Sunday.
The response is coming after Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, described Jonathan’s claims of increasing corruption under Buhari as “outlandish”.
Shehu had suggested that unlike President Buhari, the former president lacked the political will to fight corruption while in office.
The presidential aide also rejected the claim in Jonathan’s book that the nation’s economy was hit with recession because President Buhari misplaced his priorities after assuming power.
“When visionary Nigerians and economists foresaw this [drop in oil prices] and warned of the dangers ahead, Dr Jonathan hounded such men as the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11 and Professor Chukwuma Soludo. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance under Dr Jonathan’s administration also warned and she was rebuffed,” said Shehu.
But reacting swiftly through his media aide, Reno Omokri, in a series of tweets on Thursday night, Jonathan said: “Garba Shehu you are a LIAR and a disgrace to anyone who was ever a Presidential spokesman. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s book says she warned the Governors but @OfficialAPCNg Governors led by @ChibuikeAmaechi refused to save. Respect your old age and stop Lying.
“@Garshehu, to show you are a liar from the pit of hell, you refused to tag @NOIweala knowing she will expose your evil lie. NOI in her book wrote that she CRIED and begged the Governors to save but @OfficialAPCNg refused. Amaechi, Oshiomhole and co.
“@Garshehu it is not @GEJonathan who said there‘s more corruption, it was Transparency International. According to @anticorruption, Nigeria made her worst retrogression in corruption under @MBuhari moving 12 steps backward from 136 in 2014 to 144 this year.
On Shehu’s claim that Jonathan lacks achievements to point to, Omkori said, “@Garshehu respect your old age. Stop LYING. The only federal university in @MBuhari’s state was built by @GEJonathan. He built 165 almajiri schools, Abuja-Kad railway, 4 power stations, 4 hospitals. What has your boss built? No project finished in 4 years.
The former president’s media aide also mocked Shehu, saying: “Your boss’s certificate is questionable. Your #NextLevel logo is questionable. @Asorock plagiarised speeches for @MBuhari. Aisha’s ADC looted billions. You steal @GEJonathan’s project and you reinstated and promoted a thief like Maina and you are talking?”