President Jonathan Denies Spending N2 Trillion on Electioneering Campaigns

Strategic Insights -

President Goodluck Jonathan's administration has been accused of embezzling N2 trillion on electioneering campaigns for his Peoples Democratic Party. However, the president's spokesperson, Reuben Abati, has reacted to the allegations, stating that they are false and malicious. Abati insisted that the president did not set up any committee to investigate the expenditure of campaign funds and that the administration did not spend state funds on the campaigns. The presidency has called for an investigation into the allegations, which were made by Punch Newspapers.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Jonathan's administration has been accused of spending N2 trillion on electioneering campaigns.
  • The president's spokesperson, Reuben Abati, has denied the allegations, stating that they are false and malicious.
  • Abati has insisted that the president did not set up any committee to investigate the expenditure of campaign funds.
  • The administration has called for an investigation into the allegations made by Punch Newspapers.
  • Reuben Abati has accused the authors of the story and their self-appointed megaphones of malicious intent.
  • The presidency has denied deploying public funds for the elections and has emphasized that President Jonathan conducted the elections in strict accordance with the law.
  • President Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential elections to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.
  • The president's Peoples Democratic Party also lost the majority in both chambers of the parliament.

Statistics:

  • N2 trillion: the amount allegedly spent on electioneering campaigns according to Punch Newspapers.
  • N4 trillion: the annual budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
  • 20%: the alleged amount of the federal budget spent on elections according to Reuben Abati.

Sources:

  • Premium Times/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX.