'I never endorsed Sheriff,' Ex-President says

dimeji akinloye

February 21, 2017 10:08 PM

Jonathan's spokesman said journalists who were not present during his meeting with Sheriff fabricated the endorsement story.

Former President

Shortly after Sherriff's confirmation as the authentic PDP leader by an Appeal court sitting in Port Harcourt, he paid a visit to Jonathan, fueling speculations that the ex-president approves of the court judgment.

According to a statement by Jonathan's media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president never endorsed Sheriff.

It said the two politicians did not discuss anything like endorsement during the visit, adding that, "not at the closed door meeting with Sheriff nor during the former President’s interview with newsmen."

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The statement said a few reporters who were not present during the visit "chose to infuse mischief in their report."

It added that Jonathan "welcomed Sheriff and some of his supporters to his house, in line with a mediation role he is playing towards unifying and strengthening the PDP."

The statement reads in part:

"Indeed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the party’s Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.

"As a peace-loving leader of the party, the former President’s interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nation’s democracy.

"I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesn’t add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in another, concede that the former President

explained his commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the differences in the party.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the former President’s exact words during the interview with newsmen, as had accurately been reported by most online and major national newspapers, as well as broadcast organisations:

"We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party."

Jonathan's spokesman urged journalists to accurately and constructively cover activities of his principal.

dimeji akinloye