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Jonathan Wanted to Play Politics With Chibok Girls' Release - APC
[September 30, 2014]

Jonathan Wanted to Play Politics With Chibok Girls' Release - APC


(AllAfrica Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the President Goodluck Jonathan led administration of timing the negotiations for the release of the Chibok girls to create a maximum public relations boost for itself, rather than out of a genuine concern for the girls who have spent six months in captivity.



National publicity secretary of the APC, Lai Mohammed, in a statement, said evidence of government's manipulation of the girls' release came during President Goodluck Jonathan's recent visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

"Apparently assured, somehow, that the girls were about to be released, the administration had set up an elaborate publicity event in New York, rented the necessary crowd and booked back-to-back interviews with the international media to enable the president to luxuriate in the girls' release. This event was billed for the five-star Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, close to the UN Headquarters.


"Nigerians will remember that on 23 Sept., the military announced, on twitter, the imminent release of the girls, only to retract the statement shortly thereafter. In the intervening period, thousands of 'supporters' of the President had gathered at the Pierre Hotel to welcome the President after the release of the girls, while media interviews had been booked for him.

The APC insisted that such ceremonies require prior organization saying there must have been prior knowledge by both the government and attendees of the timing of any release of the girls.

"This whole episode was timed to also coincide with President Jonathan's speech to the UN General Assembly on the following day - Sept. 24th - and to secure maximum advantage for the government. Somehow, the whole process collapsed like a pack of cards, to the chagrin of those seeking to exploit the innocent girls for political advantage," it said.

Copyright Daily Trust. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

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