After several statements by opposition leaders including General Buhari, Governor Amaechi, Bisi Akande, and Nasir el Rufai claiming that they are not safe but courageous despite being on President Jonathan’s purported watchlist, the Presidency has asked Nigerians to pay no mind to the allegations, saying that the opposition leaders are just seeking attention.
El Rufai started the latest round of chatter concerning the watchlist which was initially alleged by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He tweeted Thursday, “I am number seven on the GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) sniper list, so I will only worry when GMB (General Muhammadu Buhari), Asiwaju (Tinubu), Amaechi, Akande, etc, are killed”.
Also Chief Akande’s media aide, Lani Baderinwa fueled the fire by accepting the claim.
“You and I know that Nigeria is a country where anything goes and illegal actions are the order of the day. What else can he do than to be hoping that the wish of the enemies will not come to pass in his life,” he asked.
“It was not Chief Akande who actually made the allegation (of a watch list); it was the former President who has access to everything that the incumbent has, you cannot deny that fact. Therefore, it is difficult to say it is not true. The life of a man is in the hands of God, to be or not to be. Chief Akande remains unshaken.” he noted.
Baderinwa added, “Most of these unravelled murders had the tones and tendencies of state-sponsored assassination. How then can we make noise that they (government) should be held responsible? As far as we are concerned, the life of Chief Bisi Akande is in the hands of God.
“And we know that despite his age, he has more to contribute to Nigeria than most of these people who are planning to assassinate other people for no just cause other than they are opposition.”
Also speaking on behalf of Buhari, former CPC spokesperson, Rotimi Fashakin said, “Everybody knows that the name of Gen. Buhari conjures fear in the heart of the President. That is why they would rather wish that he is no longer in the equation. El-Rufai cannot be far from the truth when he asserted the VIPs that are in the wanted list. He is totally correct.
“Jonathan’s presidency should tell us why (former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Hamza) al-Mustapha is being kept in the Army.
“One of the things that will be giving the presidency sleepless nights will be how to rig. They used some incumbent governors to reduce the vote of the CPC.”
“Knowing al-Mustapha’s antecedent as one who superintended over Abacha’s killer squad, why shouldn’t we be apprehensive that this government is trying to play with fire,” Fashakin added.
“It will be a shame to the Nigerian state, if the amiable General is allowed to be taken out just like that. It is not for him to protect himself; it is for the Nigerian state to ensure that the dastardly plot does not succeed because he has served Nigeria meritoriously. It’s a good thing that Nigerians have been put on notice. So, if anything happens to Buhari, we know that direction we should be looking at.”
Governor Amaechi who spoke through his media aide, Tony Okocha said, “We don’t own the police or any of the security outfits in the country. They are all controlled by the Federal Government. So, we solely rely on God to protect us. The governor is a hero and he will be a martyr if he dies based on what he believes.
“We do not have any security measure and we believe that God is the ultimate protector of man. When a governor is being hunted with the police and when a police commissioner confronts a governor of a state at will, these are signs of threat to the governor’s life,” Amaechi added.
However, Reuben Abati, Presidential spokesman debunked the allegations, he said,
“The President has already addressed that matter that there is no watch or hit list anywhere but if by any chance, el-Rufa’i or any other person feels he has seen any list, why has he not reported to security agencies?
“If he has the list, let him produce it, otherwise it appears he is just talking nonsense. It is sheer irresponsible talk. There is no watch or hit list anywhere.
“People should stop speculating about any list, they should stop making themselves appear to be important when they are actually not important at all.”