Maku denies accusing Jonathan of Boko Haram sponsorship

• Explains exit from PDP

GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Nasarawa State and former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday denied accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of being one of the sponsors of Boko Haram.

   He explained that his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APGA was due to the injustice meted to him by the state chapter of the party. Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Maku accused those behind the reports as enemies of President Jonathan, who want to pull him down, adding that they used him (Maku) due to his profile and closeness to the President.

   “There is a wide gap between the propaganda in the media and the thinking of ordinary Nigerians. The silent majority will shock you on March 28,” he said. “When I open the newspaper pages and look at the social media, they present President Jonathan as a monster, but as I go round the villages to campaign for him, there is loud ovation. 

   “In Nasarawa State, the President is going to win the election with a wide margin regardless of what you publish in the newspapers or write in the social media. The gap between propaganda and reality in this election will shock many people who think that the media alone will fix the next president.

   “I consider President Jonathan’s re-election more than my own ambition and the politics of my state. I have nothing to be ashamed about defending him. The President of Nigeria is on a driving seat of the whole country; I am campaigning for him because he is also the presidential candidate of APGA. 

   “In addition, I believe in him. If you don’t have the right president, you are going to have a lot of problems.