Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied allegations by Sheriff that he received N50 million from Wike to organise the recent PDP peace meeting.
On Thursday last week, Jonathan organised a PDP stakeholders’ meeting as part of ongoing efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis rocking the party.
Jonathan, through his spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, said that there was no reason for anybody to accuse him of collecting money from anybody to organise a stakeholders’ conference.
Eze said: “The former President intervened in the crisis because of his genuine commitment to bringing about peace in the party that made him President. I don’t think anybody will believe that he collected money from anybody to organise the meeting.”
“It is out of his genuine concern to bring peace in the party. He has been meeting with members of the party; he met with Sheriff severally, he also met with Ahmed Makarfi on many occasions. He met with the governors. I don’t see any reason for anybody to say that Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the stakeholders’ conference,” Eze said.
Also, Fayose has accused Sheriff of doing the bidding of his paymasters in the APC, adding that there was no reason for any sane person to continue to respond to the continuous advertisement of Sheriff’s political undemocratic actions.
Through his media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, the governor said: “If Ali Modu Sheriff has taken his desperation to serve his paymasters in the APC to the level of accusing former President Goodluck Jonathan of being bribed to organise a peace meeting for the PDP, there is no reason for any sane mind to continue to respond to the continuous advertisement of … political insanity.”
While addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, Sheriff, through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, alleged that Jonathan was lured into committing a serious breach of protocol that led to the failure of the exercise which was the intended outcome.
He said: “It was a thing of joy for the party faithful as they rejoiced that indeed peace has returned to the party. But to the surprise of all, Governor Wike and Governor Fayose recruited former President Goodluck Jonathan into a ‘fake’ peace effort predetermined to scuttle Governor Dickson’s efforts.”
“The result is that Jonathan was lured into committing a serious breach of protocol that led to the failure of the exercise which was the intended outcome.”