Presidency not truthful about Sheriff – APC

The All Progressives Congress has accused the presidency of not saying the truth in its response to the condemnation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s relationship with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, alleged to be sponsoring Boko Haram.



The party’s position was contained in a statement issued in Dubai on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

This was in response to an earlier statement by the Presidency that President Jonathan will not interfere with ongoing investigations against the former Borno State governor.

The APC said the Presidency’s defence of Sheriff’s presence at President Jonathan’s meeting with President Idris Deby of Chad confirmed its position that the Presidency was protecting Sheriff.

The party also said that the Presidency’s statement on the matter matched the one given by Sheriff’s spokesman.

The party, however, called for the trial of Sheriff and other alleged Boko Haram sponsors by the International Criminal Court, instead of the Nigerian security agencies, which it said were under Jonathan’s control.

The statement read in part, “President Jonathan lacks the courage to investigate and prosecute the accused, who are his friends.

“How can you prosecute a person who accompanies you on a high level security meeting to a foreign head of state?”

The party also dismissed claims by the Presidency that it will not interfere in Sheriff’s investigation by security agencies.

APC also questioned the President for allegedly circulating the picture of Sheriff and himself at such a high level meeting and the message it would send to the security agencies.