The Presidency on Friday denied a statement credited to a Kenyan lady that President Goodluck Jonathan recently visited her country in seven private aircraft.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a message on his Twitter handle, described the statement as a blatant lie.
He said Jonathan travelled to Kenya with only one aircraft.
In a video which has gone viral on YouTube and other social media platforms, the Kenyan lady was heard saying, “Your (Nigerian) President visited our country with seven private jets. That has never happened before, we were all excited, ‘this is Nigeria, it is the country with the highest number of private jets.’ Seven private jets, I know there could be more but for us, that is still wao! They all came in their private jets.”
The video was Twitted by Nigerians including a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i, forcing Abati to react.
While the presidential spokesman challenged the Kenyan to prove her allegation, he asked Nigerians spreading the message to desist from broadcasting lies.
He said it amounted to laziness to take on what he described as crazy tale and broadcast it without verification.
He asked them to shut up if they could not provide evidence contrary to his position.
Abati wrote, “That President Jonathan travelled to Kenya with seven jets is not true. I challenge the Kenyan lady to prove her allegation.
“Stop spreading lies. President Jonathan was in Kenya with only one aircraft. Provide concrete evidence to the contrary or shut up.
“That Kenyan lady is lying. It amounts to sheer laziness to take on crazy tale and broadcast it without verification. It is shameful.
“It is an absolute lie. A presidential jet is not difficult to identify. It bears a clear mark.”
Source: Punch
